


Brotherhood

by rarepairqueen



Series: The Assassins AU (to be renamed one day) [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alchemy, Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Blood and Violence, Both Minor and Major Injuries, Dragons, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, Light Angst, M/M, Magic-Users, Minor Character Death, long fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-09-30
Packaged: 2018-10-18 22:41:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 31
Words: 150,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10626624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rarepairqueen/pseuds/rarepairqueen
Summary: When Hinata's quest to find out more about his mage abilities leads him to join an assassins guild in order to meet an infamous thunder-mage, he isn't sure what he's gotten himself into. Between learning how not to set everything he sees on fire and avoiding getting murdered by his own guild-brothers, he finds himself caught up in a quest that raises many questions and few answers.What the quest reveals will test The Brotherhood to its limits, how they deal with it will decide their fates.





	1. Home

**Author's Note:**

> This is what happens when I replay the assassin's questline in Skyrim and decided it was far too boring.
> 
> To cut a long story short, I threw together a lot of ideas from some of my favourite game franchises/anime series/films and this is the result. It took over 4 months to plan and then seven months to write (including 50K over two camp-nanowrimos).
> 
> And this is only part one.
> 
> [Edited on Oct 17th 2017]

' _A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out._ '  
 _Walter Winchell_

 

Chapter One

Home 

 

There was a faint chill in the air, the whispering of the wind was clear to Kunimi that morning. He adjusted his sitting position within the pine tree, listening for the slightest sound of someone or something that shouldn't be there. He preferred days like this; when the cold season was losing her grip on the land and the growing season began taking control, he found himself noticing how much he missed the sun in the darker months. Though the growing season did mean that the rains would come and sitting on sentry duty would become not only more uncomfortable, but more difficult; his ability to hear oncoming intruders would be dampened - literally - by the rain storms and he would have to spend hours by the firelight to warm himself.

Shaking that thought away, he scanned the clearing below him; the mostly disused door to guild shielded from view of the river by a cluster of pine trees, climbing plants also hid the door behind a green cloak that never seemed to die no matter how cold it got. To the unknowing passer-by, this was just a large mound jutting out of the mountain and overlooking the river, they wouldn't see the hollowed out space that was the usual entrance to the guild or the small hatch that would sometimes open from under the soil. That was the beauty of where they chose to reside, it was a good spot to hide a guild and a pretty sight for him to lay his eyes on too.

He was about to return to his day-dreaming state when something caught his eye, a flash of bright orange amongst the trees to his left. His fingers slid to the leather bindings near his waist, gently closing his grip around thin iron and easing it out of its holster. His eyes scanned the bare branches of the undergrowth, the twisted dead wood gave an intruder few places to hide, before looking to the pine trees. A faint birdsong started up in the forest, the calm water gave nothing away as Kunimi's eyes continued scanning the area. Normally he would've long brushed off what he saw but it wasn't often that he saw such a garish colour in the otherwise green and grey world.

A snapping twig drew his attention back to the ground, his eyes narrowed as he spotted a boy; he couldn't have been more than a few summers past his tenth name-day, he was short that was obvious, his bright orange hair resembled a bird's nest and his clothes were tattered and covered in dirt and leaves. It was apparent that he had been wandering a while given the pack on his back. Regardless of age, Kunimi pulled his arm back slightly, tracking the boy as he wandered into the clearing. With a well-practiced motion he sent the disc to the ground, not aiming specifically at the boy but more at the dirt a few paces in front of him. It succeeded in startling him as the dirt settled, but where most would've sensed they weren't welcome, the boy decided to inspect the spiked object. Kunimi found it strange, but not completely out of the ordinary.

He readied another, sensing he could have some fun with the other before actually confronting him. Another disc was sent to the ground, the boy jumped slightly but didn't immediately run for the hills. The entire situation was intriguing to Kunimi as he sent a third down and got the same reaction. Nevertheless, he had a job to do and that was to keep intruders out of the guild. With a sigh, Kunimi jumped down from his vantage point, moving swiftly between branches with grace that only came with practice and multiple near-death experiences. He paused on the last branch that obscured him from the boy, observing the other a little closer before confronting him; he was definitely younger than him, he held no obvious weapons and seemed eerily at ease despite having a disc of death being thrown at him.

There were very few times where Kunimi made noise as he moved through trees, intentionally anyway, he purposefully snapped a twig before dropping down to the last branch of the tree in plain view of the other. Wide brown eyes showed how startled he was, a flicker of panic washing over him as he froze and looked at Kunimi.

"Who are--" He started.

"You've trespassed here." Kunimi cut him off, pretty sure his voice was muffled behind the fabric covering his mouth.

"I-I didn't! I mean, it was an accident!" The other scrambled to explain himself, taking a step back and placing his hands out in front of him.

"Doesn't matter." Kunimi replied, drawing a thin blade from its holster. "Leave, or I'll make you leave."

"Wait!" Small wisps of fire sparked into existence around the boy's hands, Kunimi inwardly cursed at the revelation.  "I'm looking for someone."

Kunimi had heard that excuse a million times before, he raised an eyebrow as he watched the flames grow in size. "Go on."

"The thunder-mage, I-I don't know what his name is but I know he's been seen around here--"

Kunimi knew exactly who this kid was looking for, the fact there were wisps of fire still floating in mid-air just hammered home the fact this kid was also a mage. "He's not here."

"Oh…" The kid looked disappointed. Kunimi almost felt bad for him, he was curious as to why the other was looking for his guild-brother, even more so that they seemed to have mastered enough of their craft to be able to summon defensive charms.

"Who are you?" He asked. "And why do you want to meet him?"

"I…I want to be his apprentice." The other avoided the first question, which in itself set off alarms in Kunimi's mind.

This was by far the first time someone had expressed desires to become the thunder-mage's apprentice, though few actually knew he was part of a guild and even fewer knew exactly where the guild was even located. This was the first time someone had actually managed to seek out the guild themselves. Kunimi wanted to interrogate him, to find out how he knew where this entrance was, whether he had stalked someone back from a hunt or a job, yet he seemed far too young to have actually thought this through.

"Oh yeah? And how exactly did you find out about him or this place?" Kunimi knew he'd get scolded if he revealed too much but his curiosity was mounting as the flames continued orbiting the boy's hands. He wasn't dumb enough to try and overwhelm the apparent mage.

The kid didn't answer at first, biting on his lip and averting his gaze before dropping his hands and extinguishing the flames with ease. "My village elder sent me. She said…that the thunder mage would be the only one who could help me."

To an extent, Kunimi felt sorry for the other. Within the guild there were many sour origin stories, he could only think of two members who actually had a 'normal' life before the guild. They were like a pack of stray dogs, a family brought together by unfortunate circumstances, except some were more willing than others to make the transgression from everyday peasant to cold-blooded killer. That was always the small detail of the thunder mage's stories that got…forgotten about.

"Do you know anything about the mage other than what the bard songs sing of? Do you know why he's so secretive of his identity?"

The kid shook his head.

"It's because he's an assassin." Kunimi stated, watching the realisation flicker over the other's young features. "He's part of the Silver Owl Brotherhood, heard of them?"

The kid seemed to understand some of what he was saying, though how much Kunimi didn't know. He didn't need to know as long as it got the other to leave and not return. A light breeze rushed through the trees, the whispering pine needles carrying the message of the mountains in the distance. A storm was coming, that was all Kunimi could tell. The clattering of horse hooves distracted them both, looking up Kunimi spotted the familiar light brown mare coming down the cleared pathway from the riverside trail. Her rider, the tall silver-haired male with a kind face, nodded in greeting before halting the horse and dismounting with ease. He adjusted the leather bindings of his armour and shifted the quiver of arrows hanging off his shoulders before patting the horse's hindquarters. The boy looked frightened as the taller male suddenly clocked onto his presence and raised an eyebrow.

"Kunimi, who is this?" He asked, voice calm as he moved and rubbed the mare's neck, seeming unbothered.

"Some kid looking for a certain mage that shoots lightning bolts from his fingertips." Kunimi replied, a little irritated that Suga wasn't being as suspicious as he was. "He was just leaving."

"Really?" Suga looked at the boy and seemed to be trying to read his intention before his gaze flickered to the darkening sky. "I heard from the trader that there's been heavy rain in the east, we can expect a storm tonight or tomorrow."

"And?" Kunimi could see where this was going. "You better not be proposing what I think you are."

"I will state you had nothing to do with it, don't worry." Suga hummed, turning to the boy. "Do you have anywhere to stay?"

Kunimi snorted, acknowledging the other's decision before returning to the treetops. Once the other was out of earshot, Suga smiled at the youngster in his presence.

"Uh...no. I've been traveling since...a few weeks ago." The other replied, not quite able to meet Suga's gaze, instead his attention going to the small dark mark next to his calm eyes. He was confused and a little wary that this was some strange ploy to get him to let his guard down before dying by their blade.

Suga hummed as he tended to the horse, loosening her saddle in preparation for taking her to the secluded stables, she let out a snort as Suga untied the saddlebags. Usually, he wouldn't take an intruder to the guild so lightly, he would've drawn his bow and demanded they ran for the hills before his first arrow fell. However, this was simply a child stood before him, and with such a storm brewing overhead, he couldn't just send him away. Plus there was something in the startled eyes that said there was more to this than a simple map-reading error.

"And you're here to talk to the thunder mage?" He asked, offering the saddlebag to the boy who took it cautiously. "He's not here at the moment, he's on a trip north of here. Won't be back for a few days yet, but you're welcome to stay."

"Are you sure?"

Suga knew he'd be in trouble with Daichi and Kuroo, but he could deal with them later. "Sure, though you _are_ aware of who we are right?"

"A-Assassins..." There was a trace of reluctance in the brown eyes watching Suga collect the reins in his hand and begin to lead the horse towards what looked like a simple rock face.

"You won't be one of us of course, but if you really want to talk to him that badly I'm sure we can make an exception for now." Suga smiled, reaching down in the grass at the base of the rock formation and pulling something that looked like a lever. With a loud creak and the sound of shifting pulleys, a section of the rock began to shift. Within a few seconds there was an opening big enough for a horse to fit through. "Come on then, I'm Sugawara by the way, but everyone just calls me Suga."

"I-I'm Hinata. Hinata Shoyo." He replied, hurrying to catch up with Suga as he started leading the horse through the stone archway. Once through he took in the small roof-less area, the opening closed behind them with a pull of a lever and sealed them into the grassy courtyard. There were three covered pens, one of which had a horse inside them; smaller than the one in Suga's possession but still in good condition, several barrels and crates were stacked near the wooden support beams, some with shipping stamps on the side and others with symbols Hinata didn't recognise. The ground beneath his feet was mostly grass and mud, with the odd flagstone embedded in the dirt here and there.

"Oi, who's that?" A booming voice startled Hinata and he found himself hiding behind Suga as a tall, spiky-haired male approached with a scowl on his face, he was tall and his unfriendly gaze on Hinata set him on edge.

"This is Hinata," Suga replied, cool and composed. "I'll be talking to Daichi about him, he is no threat to us."

"Huh." The other narrowed his eyes but shrugged nonetheless.

"This is Kindaichi." Suga smiled at Hinata as he gestured to the more disgruntled male. "He's our other sentry, he also looks after our horses."

Hinata nodded, not wanting to make any more enemies that day as Suga handed over the reins to Kindaichi with a murmured thanks, then accepting the saddlebag back from Hinata. He followed the other through a wooden door that was reinforced with iron fittings, a dimly lit hallway awaited them and it took him a second for his eyes to adjust. They walked on wooden planked flooring through another door into a larger room with a fire-pit and several benches, a large, striped, black and orange tapestry hung on the wall above the fire pit; three swords intersected behind the image of a pure white owl, the symbol of the Silver Owl Brotherhood as Hinata knew it. More people turned first to greet Suga and then to give him a puzzled glance.

A tall, burly male with short brown hair and a stern yet young face stood up, Suga seemed to anticipate whatever words were about to leave his mouth and cut in before he could utter them.

"I know Daichi, but hear me out." He stepped forward, Hinata only now actually took in the bow the Suga had carried in off the horse; a simple dark brown colour with gold ornate finishes either side of where the arrow rested before release. His attention quickly snapped back to the others in the room who were looking at him like he was an intruder; a smaller but equally intimidating male was sharpening knives as he kept his gaze firmly on Hinata, another simply side-glanced at him but paid more interest in the exchange between the other two.

"Who is this and why have you brought him in here?" The burly male asked, not as aggressively as Kindaichi had done, but there was an air of authority around him that Hinata definitely wasn’t going to question.

"Hinata, he's just a kid Daichi and there's a storm coming. I couldn't just leave him out there." Suga reasoned. "He's here to see--"

"Really? You let him in because he'll get rained on?" Daichi sighed, rubbing his face as Suga put himself between Hinata and the male who looked like he could easily snap his body in two. "Why should we let him stay, other than that?"

Hinata wanted to argue his own case, not liking that Suga was getting hassled on his behalf when he didn't even know the full story. A noise left his throat that was meant to be a word but fear took hold before he could say it, clapping his hand over his mouth in an attempt to muffle it.

"Daichi. Let him speak." One of the other males, the one who side-glanced him, stated as he stood up; he was slimmer than Daichi and shorter, dark curls complimented his eyes along with his slightly feminine face. "He should be able to speak for himself surely."

All eyes were once more on Hinata. He felt his knees buckling and instinct to summon his defensive flames mounting. He swallowed as Suga stepped aside and let Daichi approach, battle-scarred forearms brushing against the hilt of a blade Hinata really didn't want to be on the receiving end of.

"Good call Keiji. Well Hinata, why should I allow you to stay here?" He asked, voice commanding but airing on the side of curious.

Hinata's gaze met eyes similar to his own, there was a certain kindness in them behind the standoff-ish nature he was putting up, the other had several summers on him but didn't seem _that_ much older. He swallowed again, battling the urge to fall back on old habits when feeling threatened, he'd be no match for them if he tried to fight.

"Uh, well I-I don't have anywhere else to go. I got sent away from my home because..." He trailed off, trying to tear his gaze away from Daichi's. "...my village elder told me I need to find the thunder mage."

"Why?" Daichi pressed, folding his arms across his broad chest, tunic slightly straining against his shoulders.

"I-I..."

Suga stepped in but halted when Daichi put up his hand, he instead beckoned the one he referred to as Keiji over. The other seemed much more apathetic to the situation as Daichi whispered something in his ear and he nodded. Hinata found himself staring into darker eyes, almost coal-colored and several different thoughts running through his mind that weren't quite his own.

_You are safe here. We will not harm you out of spite. Answer his question._

"I had trouble controlling my powers." He said without thinking. "My elder taught me everything she knew but there's still 'something more' that causes me to overuse them, she said only a high-level mage could help me and told me to find the one they call 'thunder mage' to help me." He babbled, only managing to get a hold of himself as the other male broke eye contact.

"So that's it." Daichi hummed, Hinata felt mortified that he had just come out with it and then terrified he was about to lose his life. Yet Daichi seemed less than eager to withdraw his blade. "Fine."

"Fine?!" The only other person in the room squawked, the knife-sharpening male shot Daichi an unbelievable look. "This kid just said he has trouble controlling his powers and you're about to let him stay?"

"Morisuke, calm down. I wasn't done talking." Daichi sighed. "Aren't you meant to be leaving tonight anyway?"

"I want to actually come home to a guild y'know." The other muttered, venom and distrust clear in his low voice.

Daichi ignored him, turning back to Hinata with a more calm expression on his face. "You may stay until he returns under three conditions; one, you do not use your powers, two, you report to and help out Suga with the day to day running of this guild. Finally, three, you do not get involved in any of the guild-brothers' tasks unless told to by myself or Suga. Understand?"

Hinata was surprised he was being allowed to live, let alone stay and wait to talk to the mage. "Y-Yes sir!"

"I can't believe you--"

"Morisuke if you have a problem with it then by all means you may challenge my judgment." Daichi stated, turning to the shorter male, there was a brief pause as both males regarded each other, a silent challenge from one to the other being mulled over.

"No, it's fine. Like you said I'm leaving tonight anyway." He uttered, storming through another door and slamming it shut.

"And I thought Kindaichi was the stubborn teenager of the guild." Suga hummed.

"Yaku's always been like that though." The remaining male in the room sighed, turning to Hinata. "I'm Akaashi by the way, don't take any of this personally."

Hinata nodded, feeling a little put on the spot as Daichi seemed to agree on something with Suga before declaring he would be in his quarters if anyone needed him. Within a few moments, Suga asked that Hinata followed him through the guild on a tour of the place. He was taken through the door Yaku had disappeared through a few moments previously; another hallway opened up with wooden beams keeping the ceiling of the tunnel from caving in. Coils of rope sat in open crates alongside boxes and dried straw, the wooden planks that lined the wall gave way to a large window that overlooked the river leading to the not-too-distant lake, grey clouds were rolling down the mountains onto the body of water like a slow avalanche bringing the promise of rain.

"Nice view huh." Suga remarked as he caught Hinata staring. "We can see the river, but the river can't see us, we're obscured by the foliage." He gestured to the twisted branches of dormant fauna that would grow greenery in the coming months. Hinata was about to question why they'd need to be so hidden when he remembered just who he was dealing with.

"How many of you are there?" He asked quietly.

"Eleven in total." Suga replied. "That's if everyone is here of course, sometimes brothers can be gone for days or weeks at a time so it can be rare to have everyone here at once."

Another door was opened, a small set of wooden steps led down into a long room with beds made up with dried straw and furs of various animals. Lit candles were suspended from the main support beam of the ceiling, providing small orbs of flickering light. The disgruntled male that was Yaku was about to settle down to sleep when he caught sight of the two of them. He sighed heavily as he stood up and approached Hinata.

"Hey. I just wanna say I didn't mean to...well you gotta admit it sounds crazy to let someone who can't control their powers stay with us." He stated, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm sorry."

"N-No problem." Hinata replied, shooting Suga a panicked glance, he wasn't expecting an apology in all honesty but nodded nonetheless.

"You should sleep Yaku." Suga smiled. "I'm just showing Hinata around whilst it's quiet."

"Good idea. I might be gone before you wake tomorrow, so try not to set the guild on fire whilst I'm gone."

Hinata let out a nervous laugh, Yaku returned it and sat back down on the makeshift bed as Suga's gentle hand on Hinata's shoulder prompted him to continue following the older male through another door. They climbed up another wooden staircase, more candles were mounted on the walls along the hallway, at the end of it was a ladder but Suga ignored it and opened a door to his left instead which led to a large room. The sound of a blade hitting something solid set Hinata on edge, gaining a slight chuckle out of Suga. It was obvious that the room they were in was the armoury; various blades were mounted on the walls, archery targets hung on chains from the vaulted ceiling, workbenches were adorned with various pieces of armour in the process of being created. Hinata was in awe at how this room even fitted underground in the first place.

Suga placed a slim finger to his lips as he smiled at Hinata, nodding to the other end of the room where another burly male had his back to them and was unaware of their presence. With well-practiced silence, Suga shrugged off his bow and loaded an arrow into it, pulling the string tight and aiming for a few precious seconds before releasing the arrow at the hanging target above the other male's head.

"Fucking--" A sharp yelp left the other as the light thud and rattling of chains startled him, wheeling around and laughing as his golden eyes fell on Suga's smirking face. "Scared the shit out of me there Sugawara." He chuckled. Hinata could now see that he was more relaxed than most of the others seemed, his arms and hands were more scarred than Daichi's but that didn't seem to hinder his movements as he drove the war axe into the straw-packed dummy.

"I know, that's why it's amusing Bokuto." Suga replied, approaching the other and accepting the boost up to retrieve the arrow from the swinging target. "I still hit the bullseye."

Bokuto laughed again, setting the other down and clasping his hands behind his head, his wild two-toned hair sticking up like a wild bird's nest, Hinata vaguely wondered how his hair was both grey and black but didn't voice it. "And who's the runt?" He asked, nodding to Hinata.

Suga explained the agreement with Daichi, leaving out the fact Hinata couldn't control his powers. Bokuto seemed more open to the idea than Yaku did, for that Hinata was thankful.

"Ah," Bokuto sighed once Suga had finished explaining. "well don't let Yaku's reaction scare ya, we're not all like that. Heck, I'm sure Kuroo will love you."

"He hasn't met Kuroo yet, won't do until tonight either." Suga hummed. "I'm holding off on introducing him to Kenma too."

"Smart." Bokuto nodded. "I hear he's been working on some new combination of sorts so probably best not to disturb him."

Hinata had zoned out and was looking at the array of daggers laid out on one of the tables, they were more intricate and unique than any he'd seen at the blacksmith’s stalls. Each hilt seemed to be made of gold, the blades themselves were polished so well that he could see his reflection in them, each one slightly different to the others it lay beside on the table. He startled slightly when a large hand fell on his shoulder.

"Like 'em?" Bokuto asked. "Kuroo and I snagged them off a cargo ship a few weeks back, haven't decided if we're gonna sell them yet."

"I've not seen anything like them...they're so cool!"

"You know how to wield one? I could teach--"

"No." Suga intervened. "No teaching him anything until I've spoken to Kuroo and Daichi about it. As far as Daichi is concerned, he's only staying until a certain someone comes back."

Bokuto hummed. "Say no more."

With a gentle nod of the head, Suga led Hinata through another door. The first thing the smaller male was aware of was the residual smell of blood, he nearly gagged at first. His eyes flew around the room looking for the hanging dead bodies victims of the guild, instead he just found the carcass of a deer that had been carved upon a large table in the centre of the room.

"The kitchen, and the place I prepare food for all of us." Suga explained with a coy smile. "Can't handle a bit of blood Hinata?"

Hinata swallowed, forcing a grimace as he watched Suga set his bow down and began moving the fresh meat into what he assumed was a storeroom. He was no stranger to hunting, he had his fair share of trips out with the farmhands to slaughter the pigs that gave them food for the winter ahead. He just didn't hang around during the actual preparing part.

The small room was focused around a large wooden table, various freshly picked vegetables and herbs had been piled up one end of it whilst the carcass had taken up the rest of the space. A small amount of blood had seeped into the wood but Suga would later claim it added more flavour to everything. A fire-pit took up a corner of the room; cast iron pots hung over it with the beginnings of what seemed to be a stew already bubbling away. Various boxes, crates and jars littered the shelves and smaller tables, clearly everything had its place and only Suga knew what those places were.

"Akaashi sometimes starts making food whilst I'm out hunting." Suga explained when he saw Hinata looking at the simmering water. "I make do with what I have on hand, it's not the fanciest of food but it keeps everyone fit enough."

"You cook for everyone?" Hinata asked. "By yourself?"

"Mhm." Suga smiled, dipping his hands into a bowl of clean water before beginning to slice up the produce. "I'm not really a cold-blooded killer like some of the others here. I just enjoy their company and make up for the lack of killing by keeping everyone well fed and the guild in working order. Akaashi tends to find contracts for those who want them, Kuroo does most of the meeting with clientele though."

Hinata nodded, getting used to the smell of blood the longer he dwelled in the room. It went without saying that he was expected to help Suga that afternoon, so he finally set his pack down under the table and let the older male instruct him on basic cooking skills like slicing and chopping up the vegetables to go in the pot. He almost forgot he was in the presence of assassins as he carried out the mundane kitchen tasks. Watching Suga prepare the meat was something he didn't enjoy as much, the kill was evidently fresh with the amount of blood still in the flesh but he focused more on not cutting off his fingers instead.

"Something smells good." A voice in the doorway opposite to the one Hinata had used halted his actions. Daichi raised an eyebrow at Suga whose hands were currently full of raw meat.

"That'll just be the herbs." Suga replied with ease. "Still got a few hours yet."

"Mind if I borrow Hinata?" Daichi asked, Suga shook his head so Hinata set down the knife and cautiously followed Daichi into the hallway he had first entered into a few hours previously. The entire guild layout was a circle it seemed.

Hinata tried not to let his nerves show, the fact that Daichi gave off a more no-nonsense vibe than Suga set him on edge. He followed the other back to the large room with the benches, Akaashi was sat watching the fire intensely and hardly noted their presence as Daichi gestured for him to take a seat next to the other.

"So, tell me more about this village elder of yours." Daichi sighed as they sat in silence for a few moments.

Hinata immediately felt uneasy. "I-I'd rather not. You know all you need to know...sir."

Akaashi snorted. "There are no secrets in this guild."

"But I'm not a member, right? I'm just staying until--"

Daichi put up a hand to stop him talking. "I know. But whilst you're staying here I need to know exactly what you're capable of, for the safety of the guild-brothers. I'm sure you wouldn't put your family in danger if the tables were turned."

The fire hissed threateningly, Hinata felt a little at ease with something so familiar in front of him but the seriousness of the situation was clear to him. He understood very little of what the guild - as they referred to themselves as - was about. Kunimi had implied they were all cold-blooded killers but Suga had contradicted that by stating he and Akaashi worked more behind the scenes. It seemed a little unfair of Daichi to want to pick his brains when Hinata had been the one somewhat ushered into their company without any information.

"...I'm a fire mage." Hinata replied quietly, clasping his hands together to stop himself acting on impulse. "But as I said earlier, my elder said there was something else...something she didn't understand enough to teach me how to control."

"Hmm..." Daichi rubbed his chin, Akaashi remained silent as they waited for Hinata to continue.

"She just told me to find the thunder mage, that he was the only one who could help me."

"The bard songs talk him up too much I swear." Akaashi sighed, a faint smile on his face as he turned his gaze back to the flames.

"That may be, but there is a glimmer of truth in what your elder said." Daichi replied. "He isn't much older than you in honesty, but he is good at what he does. If what your elder says is true, he'll be your best bet."

A faint whoop of victory followed by a loud clang of metal echoed along the hallway. Akaashi snorted and excused himself to go and find out 'what Bokuto had broken this time'. Daichi seemed deep in thought as Hinata's gaze stayed on the fire, bright orange flames licked at the air as wood popped and creaked.

"Sir...may I ask, who you all are?" He murmured. "I-I don't know anything beyond what Suga told me."

Daichi hummed. "Very well, I suppose it is only fair. We are a group of...well assassins, but we do other tasks like smuggling and petty theft. We found that the stealth needed to rob a noble's home came in handy when tracking a target, also you'd be surprised how much people are willing to pay to have an ex-lover killed."

"So you all do it for money?" Hinata asked.

"Mainly I guess. There are other reasons but I'd be revealing things about the others' pasts that you should only hear from them. I'm sure you understand."

Hinata nodded, at least he had _something_ to go on now, though how he was going to try and explain any of this adventure to his mother was beyond him. He had told her it would be a simple case of tracking down a mage and talking to him, nothing about smuggling or assassinating people. He turned his hands over as he thought, Daichi remained quiet as the fire continued to engulf pieces of dried wood.

"Can I show you my fire?" Hinata asked. "I won't get carried away, I can control my flames."

Daichi considered it, humming in thought before nodding slowly. Hinata held out his hands in front of him, palms facing the ceiling and let out a heavy sigh. Within a few seconds, both palms had tiny wisps in them, he focused on keeping them from growing and made them form two finger-sized daggers.

"The last thing I was taught before I left, was how to create a sword." Hinata explained quietly, snapping his fingers and extinguishing the fire immediately. "But I've not had much chance to practice so I can't create them any bigger than my hand."

Daichi had to admit, he was curious. Of all the tales he had heard in his time traveling the kingdom, there had been many of mages with unknown power. He hadn't really believed any of them, he just knew mages were troublesome to fight against with nothing but a sword. Nevertheless, he had a young mage sat with him who clearly showed skill in his craft, if the village elder spoke the truth and there was something different about him, then they'd find out in due time. It would be a tale to tell at every tavern he ventured to, finding out the secrets of the kingdom was something that held his vague interest. Heck, the more he knew, the more effective he'd be at protecting his family.

"Well, when Nishinoya returns you can practice with him."

"Nishinoya?" Hinata asked.

"That's the thunder mage's name." Daichi smiled. "Though most of us call him Noya."

"Huh...such a normal name..." Hinata smiled slightly.

"Oh trust me, he's anything but normal..." Daichi laughed, standing up and ruffling Hinata's hair. "but none of us here are really what you would call 'normal'. Just try not to get in anyone's way and the guild will become a second home in no time."

The idea of having a second home was a pleasant one to Hinata, although having a home in a guild of assassins wasn't exactly his idea of a normal life. However, he was doing this to understand his powers better, so what would really be the harm in sticking around and making some friends?

 


	2. Stones

Chapter Two

Stones 

 

The rain was coming down hard as night drew in. Kunimi trudged through the guild hallways looking like a drowned rat after being sat in the tree all afternoon as the storm rolled in, Bokuto made a few comments that earned him a shuriken nearly taking a few inches off his hair. Suga rolled his eyes, stirring the stew as it was close to being ready to serve whilst he waited for everyone to assemble by the main fire-pit for supper. There were murmurs that Kuroo was running late for various reasons so Kenma would probably eat in his own room as was the norm for him.

Hinata had taken to Bokuto quite easily, out of all the members of the guild he had met so far; Bokuto seemed to be the one who didn't talk to him as if he was a kid. He had been asked to help the other clean some of the weapons in the armoury that had been left in a sorry state after their last use, he felt clumsy and out of place in a room usually inhabited by warriors but Bokuto made him feel more at ease; showing him how to properly hold - not wield, just hold - a sword in order to not hurt himself. they had shared a few laughs and Bokuto even told him some stories of his first few sword-training sessions. Once the call for food was made, Hinata had followed the eager male out of the armoury and back to the room he had come to know as 'the fire-pit room', Akaashi and Kindaichi were already eating out of wooden bowls whilst Yaku accepted not only a bowl of stew but a small package of food for his journey from Suga. Bokuto served himself from the larger pot and gave Hinata a bowl too, grinning as Hinata's eyes widened in gratitude. they had only been sat down for a few moments when Kunimi reappeared, no longer in his 'stealth at all costs' attire but in a more casual tunic and his hair no longer swept up in a messy ponytail, instead falling just past his shoulders.

"The drowned princess returns." Bokuto remarked, getting a half-hearted punch in the shoulder for his troubles by the smaller male.

"Play nicely you two." Suga sighed, stepping over to the door to Daichi's quarters and knocking before entering.

"Who’s that?" Hinata asked with a mouth full of boiled carrot.

Kunimi raised an eyebrow as Bokuto burst out laughing, Akaashi cleared his throat and held Kindaichi back from trying to knock some sense into the mage, Yaku shook his head as he quickly ate to try and escape the madness.

"It's Kunimi, our sentry." Akaashi replied as the male in question served himself food and sat next to Kindaichi. "You probably don't recognise him because you met him when he was in his stealth gear."

Hinata studied the other, he had the same feminine face that Akaashi did, but he seemed to be less well-versed in keeping a neutral expression. He also didn't seem very talkative.

"Oh. I thought sentries were meant to kill intruders though?" Hinata asked, tilting his head to the side, not trying to get under the others skin but merely making an observation.

Kunimi snorted, a small smile on his face as he shook his head. "Would've been a waste of effort to kill you." He muttered.

"Hey, no need for that kind of talk." Bokuto interrupted, shooting Kunimi a warning glare.

"Calm down." Akaashi warned, casting a glance at both Kunimi and Hinata. "Daichi has decided he can stay, so be civil."

"Oh I will be, don't worry." Kunimi hummed, his interest fixed on his food. Kindaichi said nothing, simply staring at Hinata with an unreadable expression.

Regardless of the words uttered, Hinata felt the venom behind Kunimi's voice. He wasn't wanted there, that much was clear, it wasn't the first time that he had experienced such unkindness but it didn't make the situation any easier to stomach. Without another word, he stood up, setting the bowl down on the bench before quickly walking out of the room as he felt the prickling sensation in his fingers. He made straight for the door leading to the courtyard, the rain was falling hard as he stood under stormy skies, letting the cold air wash over him and cool his impulsive desire to burn something out of frustration. As the rain dampened his skin, he started trying to work out what he was really doing there; he wasn't a killer, he wasn't a smuggler or a thief, he had no reason to be there other than chasing the idea of meeting a legend, a legend that may not even have answers for him. The two horses in their stalls were quiet as the sound of rain hitting rocks echoed around the empty space, the wind was howling in the trees, the roar of the waves on the lake could be heard over the wind and deep down he knew he didn't really have anywhere else to go.

The sound of a lever being pulled set him on edge, the rock face slowly sunk into the ground revealing a dark grey horse and rider. The mare seemed unfazed by his presence as she walked by him at her rider's command, long, black tail batting him as she did so. The tall, hooded figure dismounted, kicking the lever to close the opening before walking straight past Hinata to lead the horse into the empty stall. At first, Hinata was slightly apprehensive, but as he watched the other unsaddle the horse and let her into the stall, he got the idea that he wasn't in any real danger at present.

"To whom do I owe the pleasure?" The voice was smooth, confident and airing on the side of cocky. Gloved hands tugged the hood down and revealed a mop of spiky black hair and a sly smile. "I doubt you've gotten in here unnoticed so you must be someone's guest."

"I-I...Sugawara." Was all Hinata could utter as the figure approached, his hooded cape flapping in the wind, a flash of lightning illuminated the hilt of the blade strapped to his leg and confirmed to Hinata that this was indeed another assassin.

"Of course...well why are you out here in this storm? Surely it's warmer and safer inside hm?"

"...I'm not...like the rest of..." Hinata didn't really know what he was trying to say, this stranger probably wouldn't take his side if he said that Kunimi had been so brash. Yet he didn't want to just accept he was the lowest ranking male there, he knew if it came down to a fight, he had an obvious advantage over most of them.

The other nodded slightly, reaching for the door handle and gesturing for Hinata to enter with him. Rather than going straight to the fire-pit room again, he followed the stranger back to the armoury. The blade was unstrapped from the other's leg and laid out on a table, likewise the hooded cape came off and got hung up on a hook. A heavy sigh left their lips as he rolled his toned shoulder in the tattered leather vest he wore.

"So," He hummed, looking at Hinata. "Suga let you into our little family did he?"

"Yes sir." Hinata replied, eyeing the blade on the table that could easily be pressed against his throat in seconds.

A chuckle left the other. "No need to call me 'sir'. I'm just Kuroo." He sighed, leaning back against the table and drumming his fingers on the wood. "I'm guessing, you're looking for someone."

"H-How--"

"You're not a fighter, you're built too small for mercenary work and you lack the grace to be a stealth killer. Thus, you're looking for someone..." Kuroo listed off, his eyes roving over Hinata's slightly drenched form, looking for clues for his motive. "Daichi wouldn't let just any runt stay so there's got to be something about you..." He trailed off, a smirk ghosting over his face.

"I...I just--"

"You're a mage."

Hinata's eyes widened, feeling panicked all over again an unable to stop his hands summoning his familiar embers. Realising what he'd done, he quickly got rid of them and bowed in apology, waiting for the blade to press against his skin. When none appeared, he hazarded a glance at Kuroo and found a rather amused look on his face.

"...okay then. I won't ask you any more questions, not about that anyway. I'm guessing someone said something to you for you to end up outside in the storm?"

He averted his gaze from Kuroo. "I...Kunimi-san...he could've killed me for trespassing earlier but didn't, he said it would be too much effort, I just needed to get away before..." He trailed off, not wanting to make him sound out of control of his emotions.

Kuroo rolled his eyes. "That kid...I swear his attitude will get him slaughtered." He sighed. "Don't worry about him, I'll talk to him."

"No offence Kuroo...but you don't know me--"

"So? I didn't found this guild to turn away those in need. Kunimi should know that better than anyone." Kuroo replied, standing up straight and ruffling Hinata's hair. "C'mon, you'll catch a cold if you don't warm up."

Hinata didn't question it, he nodded and let Kuroo usher him back into the meeting room, Bokuto immediately stood up at the other's arrival and gave him a bear hug. Since his departure, Akaashi had moved to an empty bench next to the fire and was now gesturing for Hinata to join him. Kindaichi and Kunimi were nowhere to be seen and Yaku was just gearing up to leave on his trip.

"So what's this I hear about Kunimi being a little shit again?" Kuroo sighed, sitting across from Akaashi as the stoic male somewhat awkwardly pulled Hinata into a side hug to get him closer to the fire. Hinata could feel the coldness in both his body and mind easing as the other's hand gently rubbed feeling back into his arms.

"Just the usual really." Bokuto replied, collecting up bowls. "Suga's in with Daichi so he wasn't here to scold him."

"Tsk, well that explains it all really."

Yaku snorted, tugging his hood up over his head and then sheathing two daggers onto his belt. He bid everyone farewell, Bokuto yelled after him to not get killed. Kuroo laughed, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees as he stared at the fire. For a few moments they were all quiet; Bokuto yawned loudly but made no move to retire, Akaashi kept holding Hinata without so much of an explanation or a glance, Hinata could feel himself relax, anxieties leaving him more and more as Akaashi's gentle hold on him didn't waver, he didn't dare ask if there was more to this than appeared.

The door opening spurred Kuroo to glance over his shoulder, Daichi walked into the room and nodded in greeting, not pausing as he made his way to the mess of bowls. He didn't say anything as he piled them all up and carried them out of the room, Hinata raised an eyebrow but didn't question the other's silence. Suga appeared with a calm smile, asking Kuroo how his latest adventure was as he sat next to Hinata. A casual conversation took place, Kuroo listing off the people he had business dealings with and how much gold he managed to get out of traders, Bokuto was evidentially tired as he slumped over and used Kuroo's bulky shoulder as a pillow.

"By the way," Kuroo sighed after chuckling at Bokuto's antics. "Kunimi was being a little shit apparently."

"Really...what did he do?" Suga asked, already sensing bad news.

"He said it wouldn't take much effort to kill Hinata, but in his usual snide way." Akaashi replied, withdrawing his hold on Hinata and fiddling with his fingers in the firelight. "You know how he is."

Suga didn't seem fazed. "Well, he's not wrong. However, he's probably just having a hard time accepting Daichi's choice to let Hinata stay. We've not had a mage join since Noya and that was before Kunimi's time."

"You never cease to amaze me with your motherly traits..." Kuroo hummed, smirking slightly as Suga rolled his eyes. "But you're right, kid's still young."

"That reminds me..." Akaashi tilted his face to look at Hinata. "How old are you exactly?"

"My sixteenth-name day is this summer season." Hinata replied without much thought.

"Sixteenth?!" Bokuto snapped awake and startled everyone except Kuroo who seemed to be used to it. "You look like you're barely past your _thirteenth_."

Suga laughed, Kuroo raked a hand through his hair as Bokuto blinked several times in confusion. The fire hissed as the last of the wood was slowly engulfed, Kuroo caught Akaashi's eye and subtly nodded towards the door to the general quarters. The other took the hint and suggested that Bokuto and Hinata retire with him, Hinata admitted that his travelling had exhausted him and allowed the older male to guide him to where everyone slept. As soon as they were gone, Kuroo raised an eyebrow at Suga.

"Really Koushi?"

"He wants to see Nishinoya." Suga replied, defensive of his decision and knowing Kuroo could and would start an argument if he wanted to. "His village elder sensed that he possesses some kind of unknown power that she doesn’t know anything about."

Daichi returned, immediately guessing what the others were discussing from what he had heard from the hallway. "If that is the case, then keeping him here will be best for him." He stated. "You know as well as I do what kind of people would love to have such a young mage under their thumb."

"True, but who's to say Noya knows anything about it?" Kuroo hummed.

Daichi and Suga exchanged a glance. "We can hope that he knows of at least an old legend, something to give Hinata peace of mind and guide him. He may not be cut out to be an assassin, but neither is Kenma and we've let him stay."

"Speaking of which, how is he?" Kuroo smiled.

"Still perfecting his latest...thing, I've not interrupted for anything other than food." Suga replied. "Though tomorrow I need to locate some more supplies for him, thinking of taking Hinata along for the ride."

"Sounds good to me, if we can keep him and Kunimi apart for now I think they'll eventually get used to each other. I'll talk to Kunimi myself actually and hear his no-doubt strong opinion out." Daichi sighed.

Kuroo hummed in thought, deciding another topic needed their attention before they all retired for the night. "So have you given the job I proposed any thought?"

Daichi let out a low hum. "Yes, and I've decided to think it over more."

"Of course...it's a big task even for us."

"I personally don't think it's a good idea," Suga chipped in "Nishinoya isn't due back for another few days so we'd have to bring Hinata with us or leave him here with Kunimi."

"Well it's not a time dependent task, it's just sitting there at the moment." Kuroo smiled as he clenched his fingers into a fist in demonstration. "Just ripe for the taking."

Suga shrugged, stifling a yawn as Daichi stared at the flickering flames in thought, Kuroo's fingers went to twisting the ring on his middle finger. The three of them remained quiet for a while in the dying firelight, the distant rumble of thunder almost drowned out by the hum of heavy rain on the earthy roof above them. It was a quiet night by all accounts with only Yaku out on a job, even with Hinata's arrival causing a stir, it wasn't the most hectic they had been by far.

"Well, if that's all we need to discuss, I'm hitting the hay." Daichi murmured as he stood up. "See you both tomorrow."

"See ya." Kuroo waved him off. Suga nodded in parting before standing up himself.

"And I'll do the same, no doubt tomorrow will be just as tiring."

"You're the one who nominated himself as guild-mom." Kuroo chuckled. "Goodnight Suga."

"Night Kuroo." Suga replied, making his way to the general quarters. He found Hinata passed out in the bed between Bokuto and Akaashi and couldn't help but smile, the other looked so young in comparison to the two assassins either side of him. It reminded him of how Nishinoya always looked so vulnerable and small when he was in the guild, but as experience told Suga; sometimes the seemingly smaller threats were the more dangerous ones.

 

* * *

 

 

"So how long will it take?" Hinata asked as he settled in the saddle of the pack horse, the mare was a calm beast by the name of Hotaru that Suga apparently used all the time for supply trips, it was the same horse the older male had been riding the previous day when they met. As Hinata didn't really have much experience riding horses, he followed the instruction to just 'sit there and don't move too much' as Suga lead the mare to their destination.

"Hm we'll arrive by midday." Suga replied, tugging on the reins gently. "We have to pick up some supplies for the guild and sell off some animal skins I've collected."

The rain had left the ground soaked, mud clung to Suga's boots as he walked beside the horse and guided her through the waterlogged trails. Hinata was more than happy to leave the guild that morning as he ran into Kindaichi and got a glare for his trouble. No one else had been awake when Suga approached him and asked him to accompany him on a simple supply run, he saw it as a chance to keep out of Kunimi's way and avoid getting hated even more.

The trail ran alongside the river before turning off and leading through a grove of trees, from his vantage point on top of the horse he could see the tree trunks marked with dull green paint showing safe passage through ditches and bogs. This part of the realm was not easy to travel through safely, there were numerous rumours of haunted fortresses that lay forgotten in the forests, of battlegrounds forever tainted with blood from wars gone by, even the supposedly safe havens were not without danger. Hinata had crossed through many of these places to get to the guild in the first place, not without several near death experiences to add to his belt of course.

"So how did you know where to find us?" Suga asked, leading Hotaru through the woodlands with ease. "We chose to reside there specifically to stay out of prying eyes."

Hinata shrugged, fingers trailing through the mud-brown strands of the mare's mane. "I just, walked along the pathway...there was a man at a tavern who told me that I'd be able to find the mage--I mean Nishinoya."

Suga nodded, making a mental note to find the man in question and teach him a lesson in spilling guild secrets. "But how did you know when to leave the pathway? We don't leave obvious marking for just anyone to seek us out. Kuroo and Akaashi are the only other two who go out into the world and make contact with the common folk for business purposes."

"How though? Wouldn't they get arrested for murder?" Hinata replied, diverting the conversation slightly.

Suga laughed. "You have a lot to learn about how we do things, there's more to it than just stabbing someone and running away into the night. I don't expect you to actually join in though, it's purely voluntary."

"Suga-senpai...about that..."

They had reached the edge of the forest and started walking along a one of the main trails between the settlements of the realm. Suga drew his hood up over his head, shielding his face from view as the marketplace on the horizon got closer.

"We can talk more on the way back, for now it would be wise to cease, otherwise anyone could overhear and that would be the end of us." Suga told him quietly. "And pull your hood up, we must not be recognised."

Hinata nodded, fumbling with the hooded cape that he had been gifted for this trip, he had been told that whilst Suga frequented the settlement for food and supplies, he was only known as a lone hunter who kept to himself. It was a guise of course, one to ensure the guild's existence stayed on the down low. He was quiet as Suga continued to lead the horse down the dirt trail. They began to pass other people, farmers and tradesman who gave them a wide berth on the pathway as they got closer to the cluster of buildings and stalls. It was a small place but a frequent stop for many travelers on their way south to the major trading hub and to the northern mountains, the wide road through the village was lined with stalls selling hunting trophies, medicinal herbs, food both cooked and uncooked and building supplies.

"Keep close, don't talk to anyone if you can help it." Suga instructed as he helped Hinata dismount, he started unfastening saddlebags and handing them to the smaller male. "We're here to sell off some things and buy supplies. All I need you to do is help me carry things."

With a curt nod, Hinata followed Suga's lead. They went stall to stall, the older male smiling from beneath the hood and exchanging kind words each of the tradesman before selling off the animal skins and cuts of meat the guild didn't want or need. No-one questioned who they were, or for what purpose they were there for, Hinata wasn't sure if that was because Suga had been there so often that no-one bothered to ask or whether it was common practice.

He was on his way back to the horse with one of the saddlebags, having just bought several different stocks of cooking herbs to last the next few weeks of meals, when a stall caught his eye. For a small settlement, the table covered in small boxes holding gemstones seemed out of place. He finished fastening the bag to Hotaru's saddle before approaching. The man behind the table eyed him suspiciously as his gaze roved over each box, each stone was slightly different in shape, size and colour but they were not simple items of jewellery, they had something about them.

"Are these...runestones?" He asked quietly.

"They are. I doubt you'd need 'em though." The gruff voice replied. "or can afford 'em."

The stones winked in the sunlight, some sparkled whereas others seemed to have liquid inside them, some were completely smooth, others had jagged edges or even engravings on them. Hinata remembered his elder telling him that runestones could hold vast amount of power, and in the wrong hands could prove troublesome, yet they were so interesting to look at. He knew that he'd need more tutoring in the art of wielding to use them properly but even if he couldn't use one just yet, he wanted one to call his own.

"Where'd you get them sir?" He asked.

"The mines of the north." The seller grunted. "Kitamine, specifically."

Hinata knew of the town and the deep cavernous mines that ran into the mountains like veins. It wasn't a good place to be but the treasures that gave the town its name were the diamonds in the rough, quite literally. The mountain was known for its precious gems as well as ones with magical properties, the town that spawned from its riches harboured some of the greatest blacksmiths in the realm. Hinata wanted to visit one day, but the road to the town was even more perilous than the forests near the guild. He spent a while longer looking over them all, the pebbles that shone as red as blood on a battlefield caught his attention more than the others, the flickering light within them resembled flames of a torch and he itched to touch them.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Suga's voice startled him. He looked around and saw the other holding a crate from another stall. "Oh, runestones."

"Yeah, I was told about them a lot but never really saw so many before." Hinata explained, glancing back at the stones.

Suga hummed, looking over the gems himself, he saw the longing in Hinata's eyes and met the trader's gaze with a gentle smile from under his hood. "How much?"

"Start at 'undred gold pieces." He grunted, eyeing Suga carefully. "Buy three and the smallest is 'alf off."

Hinata watched as Suga picked up one of the pale green stones, running his thumb over it experimentally, he then picked up a jagged yellow one in the same hand. The trader smiled slightly as Suga nodded.

"These two and whichever one he wants." Suga stated, glancing at Hinata. "Pick one then."

After a few moments of thought, examining each of the red stones in front of him in turn, Hinata picked up a thin, rectangular stone, it had smoothed edges and could easily be worn as a pendant if they wrapped enough yarn around it. The trader nodded and took all three in his hands, slipping them into their own small leather pouches before giving them all back to Suga.

"Two 'undred and forty pieces then sir." He stated.

Suga nodded, fishing out a woven bag and tossing it to the trader. "Two hundred and fifty there, keep the change."

"Much appreciated."

Hinata was in shock, first at the fact Suga just bought him a runestone of such quality and then at how easily he handed over vast amounts of money. He was ushered back to Hotaru and told to stay quiet until they were near the forest. With the crate Suga had been carrying secured to the saddle, Hinata was helped onto the horse and they started their journey home. The sun had reached the highest point in the sky and was now on its way back down, the cold wind hadn't let up much in the time they had been trading and Hinata longed for the warmth of the guild's fire.

He managed to contain his curiosity until they reached the edge of the forest. "Why did you buy the runestones Suga-senpai?"

Suga chuckled. "You looked like you wanted one, as for the other two, there's someone at the guild who'll appreciate them."

The conversation they had on the way to the village came back to Hinata in that moment. "About the guild...you keep talking as if I'm being allowed to stay forever."

There was a pause, the wind whispered in the trees as the horse followed Suga's lead through the mud. "Well, if you want to, you can." He replied. "We'd have to find you something to do in order to pay your stay if you don't become an assassin like the others, but Daichi and Kuroo don't turn away those who need refuge."

"Huh..." Hinata's fingers went to the leather pouch with his stone inside it, rubbing the pads of his fingertips over the smoothed edges. It was cool to the touch but when the sunlight caught it in the right way, it almost looked like there was an actual flame inside of it, it was a small comfort in the palm of his hand. The rest of the ride was quiet, the forest was still mostly dormant as the cold season held it in her claws, only the small stream running through it to the river was creating any substantial noise.

"So I'll need you to take that crate to one of the guild-brothers." Suga stated as they got to the secret entrance. "You haven't met him yet and he's a bit of a recluse so he may not seem appreciative of your presence."

"Sounds...fun?" Hinata replied carefully as the horse made her way into the courtyard without prompting.

"He won’t be as brash as Kunimi." Suga whispered as he helped Hinata down. "He may even like you."

"What does he do?"

"He's an alchemist, brews potions and the like, he keeps hold of magical things for Noya too." Suga explained, handing the crate to Hinata and the two other runestones. "He doesn't like being disturbed so knock and enter quietly. It's the door on the left as you enter, the one that we walked past yesterday."

Hinata nodded, walking through the door held open by a slightly disgruntled Kindaichi. He had only known of the old woman in his village making medicinal brews, he didn't stop to think that there were other people in the world who knew more than she did. He set the crate down and knocked twice, there was no answer. Slowly, he opened the door after knocking again. The room was dimly lit by candles but he could see well enough; piles of books lay scattered just inside the door, bookshelves in an alcove to his right were crammed full with aging texts and scrolls. A pile of blankets lay in between the towering structures, almost like the ideal place for a cat to nap. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he scanned the rest of the room; more candles lit wooden tables with various flora scattered all over them, half empty bottles and vials giving evidence of an alchemist in the middle of intense potion brewing.

"Hello?" He called quietly, unsure what to do with the crate he had been given.

A loud squawk from the shadows startled him, the sound of flapping wings and a rattle of a chain followed it before Hinata dared to walk further into the room, as he paid more attention to the sounds of the room, he heard the faint sounds of water bubbling and glasses clinking. Obscured from view of the door by a bookshelf, a large table with a complex system of vials and piping sat. Bubbling brews were in various states of boiling as a figure walked around the glass contraption and approached Hinata, feet barely making a sound on the stone floor. He didn't seem that much older than the mage, but the yellow cat-like eyes seemed to hide the real age of the male as well as his intentions.

"And you are?" He spoke quietly, light coloured hair framing his passive expression.

"H-Hinata Shoyo. I was told to bring you these by Suga." Hinata offered the crate to the other, he caught sight of a birdcage hanging just beyond the brewing station, a large black crow stared at him with beady eyes as the crate was taken from him.

"I do not recognise your name. Perhaps I've been locked away too long…" The other male murmured, setting the crate down on one of the cluttered tables, his brow furrowed as he saw the two leather pouches. "Tell me, what is your purpose?"

"…to deliver those to you?" Hinata was puzzled.

The other hummed, picking up one of the pouches and tossing it back and forth in his hands, there was a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Simple minded. I see."

"Huh? I'm not simple-minded!"

"I asked you for your purpose, you spoke of the task you were given. I asked Kuro what his purpose was, and he said it was to live a good life and die laughing, and maybe something about being surrounded by whores and gold but I digress."

"Oh…" Hinata good now see the slight error of judgement, however he wasn't one to let it get to him. "Who are you?"

"Me? I'm just the alchemist of the guild. If they decide they want to poison someone, or torture them for information with acidic substances, I'm the one they ask. I don’t personally see any of the contracts through, I just provide a means to an end. Also I look after dumbass birds for Akaashi to send out with messages."

"…sounds fun?"

"In exchange for those services, I am allowed to reside here and hone my skills in peace. Any products they do not use, I sell on to others who do."

Hinata was starting to understand how to talk to the other. "Okay, but what do I _call_ you?"

There was another hint of a smile. "You may call me Kenma, though that is my given name and not my family one…I prefer to go by it these days."

Hinata nodded, watching as Kenma opened the pouch and fished out the jagged yellow rune that Suga had bought. His smile grew a little before opening the second and picking out the green stone. He didn't say anything as he approached some wall mounted shelves that were packed with bottles of liquid and solid ingredients alike, underneath one of them was a large wooden chest. Hinata heard the clunk of a padlock hitting the stone floor before the creak of the chest opening, he stole a glance at the contents and saw many different runestones. Before he could get closer, the lid shut and the padlock was back in place.

"I have to keep them under lock otherwise Bokuto would use them for ill will." Kenma sighed, returning to his potion brewing. "You may leave, unless you require my assistance in something?"

Hinata had many questions, but sensed the other didn't really want him there. Nevertheless, he hazarded one question before planning to make his exit. "...do you know anything about Nishinoya?"

Kenma's gaze was focused on the pale green liquid bubbling in a bottle as he clicked his teeth. "I know enough to ban him from this room, lest half my potions for enhancing magical powers go missing. Why?"

"Does he know a lot about magic then?"

Kenma hummed, not moving at first but slowly approaching Hinata again. He wasn't much taller than Hinata so they were more or less eye-height as they stood in the gloomy room.

"He knows more than most, but even he does not know everything. Why?"

"I...need his help."

"Oh?" Kenma sounded unsure but wasn't showing it in his expression. "Are you seeking his counsel?"

"Yeah...that's why I'm here." Hinata replied, he wasn't sure what to make of Kenma in all honesty but he definitely seemed less confrontational than Kunimi. "I've...I was told I have some kind of anomaly in my powers. My village elder didn't understand what so she sent me to find Nishinoya."

Kenma didn't react at first, simply blinking as he processed the information. "I see."

It was a response he wasn’t quite expecting, he thought Kenma would offer some opinion of his or a sympathetic nod but the other simply turned back to the table and started rummaging through the crate. Hinata didn't ask any more questions, figuring that the conversation was now over as Kenma returned to his potion brewing. As he closed the door behind him, he let out a small sigh and went to see if Suga wanted him to do anything else that day.

 


	3. Burning Swords

 Chapter Three

Burning Swords

 

During his first few full days in the guild, Hinata learned many things; first was that Akaashi wasn't a morning person even by midday, then it was that Daichi spent a lot of time pouring over maps of the realm and murmuring about trading routes to intercept, Kuroo would occasionally join him and they'd trade ideas about what the best form of surprise was, Suga was the main reason the guild ever actually ate and finally, Bokuto spent most of his day in the armoury making a lot of noise.

When he finished helping Suga unpack all the supplies they had bought, Hinata went to find out what Bokuto was actually doing. He walked into the armoury and saw the other working at one of the tables, a large box sat at his feet with all sorts of twisted iron and baked leather inside it, they looked like odd bits and pieces of armour long bent out of shape but he couldn't be sure.

"Bokuto?" He called, not wanting to startle the other and be on the receiving end of a practice sword.

"Hm? Oh Hinata! Great timing, I want your opinion." Bokuto grinned, beckoning him over. On the table was another less mangled mess of iron and leather bindings, Hinata was weary of the suspicious red stains on the sharp edges of what looked to be an oversized set of jaws. "This, is one of my many inventions."

"It's a bear trap..." Hinata observed.

"But not just _any_ bear trap. This has been modified to not only snap shut on the target's leg but also allow poison-tipped darts to stab them and kill them off in a matter of hours. Y'know, so that if I can't get to it immediately, the kill is done before anyone else can free them."

Hinata just stared at Bokuto in mild horror.

"You...use these on humans?" Hinata asked.

"Well...yeah." Bokuto didn't seem fazed. "Assassin, remember? Actually funny story--"

"I-I'm good thanks." Hinata cut him off.

"But don't you wanna hear how I caught Suga in one of these?"

Hinata was slightly intrigued as to how the hell Suga not only survived but hadn't tried to kill Bokuto in return. At the same time, he wasn't exactly the best at dealing with gory details. He shook his head. Bokuto laughed and ruffled his hair, instead gesturing for Hinata to follow him to one of the weapon racks in the room.

"I know Suga said not to, but do you want me to teach you how to wield a sword?"

"I'm a mage." Hinata stated as if it was obvious that he didn't _need_ to know how to wield a sword when he could summon the elements with his fingertips.

"But Daichi told me you were taught to make a sword out of fire, what's the point in you knowing how to do that but not know how to wield a normal sword?" Bokuto raised an eyebrow, picking up a basic practice sword and swinging it across his broad shoulders. "I've got nothing better to do and it's not like your swing will be powerful enough to actually hurt me."

Hinata hesitated for a moment, he had never really held a sword in his life before Bokuto introduced him to one, let alone swung one at someone. Cautiously, he reached out and took the wooden sword from Bokuto's outstretched grasp. It wouldn't hurt to try his hand at wielding a physical weapon, would it?

 

* * *

 

 

"And another thing, what made you think it was a _possibly_ a good idea to let him wield a sword?" Suga asked, arms folded across his chest as Bokuto hissed in pain at Akaashi's fingers prodding his new bruises.

"Well I didn't think he'd set it _on fire_. I just knew he could summon a flaming sword, not turn wooden ones into them!" Bokuto squawked. Hinata worried his lip between his teeth as he listened to the other being scolded, Suga wasn't pleased in the slightest at hearing the panicked shrieks from the armoury and the smell of burning wood wafting through the doorways. When the fire had been put out, the hunter had immediately demanded an explanation as Akaashi tended to Bokuto's wounds, surprisingly the older male hadn't been burnt, he had merely fallen backwards against a sword rack and nearly impaled himself in several places.

"He's a fire mage!"

"So?"

"They summon fire when threatened, which you did when you swung at him _with a sword_!"

Hinata wanted to speak up and apologise again for setting fire to the sword and then causing a mass guild panic as a flaming sword nearly set everything else on fire. He hadn't meant to summon his flames but Bokuto had startled him and his reflexes worked faster than his brain.

"Well I thought he could handle it, besides, the fire was put out so it's all good." Bokuto shrugged off Akaashi's hands and winced. "Plus he got some good hits on me which means--"

"That's beside the point Koutarou and you know it!" Suga snapped. Kuroo had been quiet the entire time but at hearing his best friend being scolded with the use of his first name, it was just too much.

"Ooh someone's in the shit if their first name is being used." Kuroo remarked before bursting into a fit of laughter. His laughter was cut short by Suga launching a wooden bowl at him from across the room and hitting him in the chest.

"I'll deal with you later Tetsurou." Suga uttered, turning now to Hinata. "Normally I be scolding you too for such dangerous behaviour...but to be honest Bokuto should've known better so I'll let it slide _this time_."

"O-Okay, I'm sorry again Suga-senpai!" Hinata replied, bowing in apology for the fourth time since the incident.

"Just, go and see if Kenma needs any help, try and stay out of trouble for a few hours until I start work on supper again."

He didn't need to be told twice, he left the fire-pit room and found himself entering Kenma's quarters. He called out but got no reply so decided to look around a bit more; the room seemed cleaner than the day before and there was a lack of potion brewing.

"Kenma?" He called again, having concluded the room was empty, save for the crow in its cage which seemed asleep.

There was a small noise from the bookshelves, or rather the pile of blankets on the floor between them. Hinata quietly approached them and called the other's name again. This time the blankets shifted slightly, pale fingers emerged and tugged back one of the layers to reveal a half-asleep Kenma, his other hand rubbing his eye as he yawned.

"What do you want?" Kenma didn't sound anymore pleased than Suga.

"Oh, I got sent here to help you." Hinata replied, feeling bad for disturbing him.

"No." Kenma grunted, looking like he could fall back to sleep any second. "No help."

"...okay. Uhm. I'll just leave then..." He muttered quietly, moving to the door and dreading walking in on Suga scolding Bokuto again when Kenma interrupted his thoughts.

"No wait...Shoyo right?"

"Yeah?"

"...there is one thing you could do for me." Kenma's voice was soft but void of emotion, Hinata wasn't sure what to make of him really. "...it's too cold to sleep in here but I'm not allowed a fire-pit."

"So..."

"...and I'd rather not go to general quarters because I dislike people in general. Mainly Bokuto because he's loud, but the sentries grumble all the time and Kuro keeps talking to me so I never sleep there."

Hinata still wasn't sure what Kenma was getting at.

"What I'm asking Shoyo, is that you simply sit for a while here."

"Here?"

"Here." Kenma's hand gestured to the pile of blankets he was nestled in.

"I just...sit."

"Well you can sleep too, I don't mind."

After a few seconds of debating what else there was to do in the guild, he shrugged and nodded. Kenma smiled slightly and rolled over, lifting some of the blankets up so Hinata could wriggle into the pile. Being so close to someone he hardly knew made Hinata more self-conscious about his movements but Kenma seemed content as soon as the blankets were replaced and they were nestled in their cocoon of warmth. The steady breathing of the alchemist was all Hinata could really hear within the folds of soft furs and woven fabric, he let his eyes slip shut and was vaguely aware of the fact he was falling asleep. Kenma stirred slightly, just before Hinata drifted into a slumber he felt the other shuffle closer and bump their foreheads together. He didn't react with anything but a small sigh.

 

* * *

 

 

Kuroo hummed in amusement as he walked through the guild, Bokuto was in the doghouse with Suga after the burning sword incident and he was also receiving the cold shoulder from the guild-mom as he started laughing partway through the scolding. Daichi had elected to stay the hell out of it all but Suga stormed into his quarters to no doubt vent his frustration, thus leaving Kuroo with a very moody Bokuto and a usually apathetic Akaashi.

"So, weapon training anyone?" He had asked, Bokuto muttered about getting some fresh air so Akaashi accepted the proposal and the two of them agreed to meet in the armoury.

Akaashi wasn't one to openly express himself, it wasn't that he couldn't, he just chose to keep his cards close to his chest. The founding guild-brothers knew he didn't do it out of spite, he just preferred not to be the centre of attention, much like Kenma in some respects. Though if he was more than comfortable and there was no sign of danger, he would be more laid back and open,  heck he could even laugh louder than Kuroo at times if the planets were aligned and Bokuto was feeling extra ambitious that day. However he did prefer to let his actions speak louder than any words he uttered.

Kuroo caught the sword thrown to him by the other, a smirk on Akaashi's face as he drew his own blade. They didn't say anything as they started sparring, the clanging of steel coming together rang out in the room along with the slight grunts, muttered cuss words and the occasional breathless chuckles. Kuroo liked to think they were equally matched when it came to sparring, both a good balance of offensive and defensive with a tendency to try cheap shots if the other left an opening for one.

"Good round." Kuroo complimented as they called time. They were both sweating and panting, their tunics out of place and there was a rosiness to Akaashi's cheeks as he laughed.

"Not too bad yourself." He sighed, tapping his boot with the tip of the sword. "Say, if we were to teach Hinata, who would be his mentor?"

Kuroo hummed, setting the sword back on the weapon rack. "Well Daichi would be the obvious choice, or one of us. Bo's great but he hardly actually uses a sword in combat. Though what would be the point in teaching Hinata?"

The other shrugged. "If he gets into a situation where he can't use magic then it might be good to have some basic sword-wielding knowledge. I think a dagger would suit him better to be honest, which Yaku or myself would easily be able to teach him."

"I think Suga's effectively taken over being Hinata's guardian so we'd have to run it all by him." Kuroo sighed, watching Akaashi set his sword down and begin straightening out his tunic. "Kinda sucks the fun out of having a new recruit."

Akaashi snorted. "You think he'll stay after talking to Nishinoya? He doesn't seem like the killing type."

"Neither were you remember." The older male chuckled, nudging him in the ribs before beckoning him to follow. "I just think that if he wants to stay, he can. It's a joint decision from me and Daichi remember."

"Don't we all know it." Akaashi remarked, following Kuroo through the kitchen and into the hallway. "What are you doing?" He asked as Kuroo put a finger to his lips and slowly turned the door handle to Kenma's quarters.

There was no sound from inside the room so Kuroo poked his  head through the opening. Akaashi let his curiosity get the better of him and approached to find out what was so interesting. From what he could see, the room was gloomy and some of the candles had died out leaving only one or two to try and light a large void, but that was not what stole their attention; the pile of blankets that the guild-brothers were used to seeing Kenma wrapped up in had an extra person in its folds, someone with bright orange hair. He had to admit, it was touching to see the two of them so content as their soft, slow breathing emanated from the room.

"It's kinda cute isn't it?" Kuroo hummed as Akaashi quietly closed the door, seeing no sense in disturbing the sleeping youngsters.

"Yeah, but if Hinata sleeps too much now then he may not sleep tonight."

"And? Don't we need a night sentry anyway?"

"He nearly set fire to the guild today, I don't think anyone is in a hurry to trust him with protecting it." Akaashi felt a little bad for talking about Hinata as if he was a liability however, he had to work with the facts presented to him and those indicated that Hinata really needed to be supervised until he settled down more.

Kuroo seemed to understand his viewpoint, clicking his teeth as he folded his arms across his chest. "You wanna check on Bo?"

Bokuto had decided to do Kindaichi a favour and muck out the horse stalls, he found the physical labour helped ease his mind and would often take time out of his trap-building and other guild duties to put his mind to simpler tasks. He wasn't that upset about Suga's reaction, the older male was right to be frustrated at the situation and he should've made sure Hinata was absolutely sure he was okay to train without any other supervision. Though that didn't mean he wasn't put out at being scolded in front of everyone.

The cold air whipped around the courtyard, the two horses still in their stalls were patiently waiting to be taken either into the forest or to the lakeside for some exercise and graze at whatever foliage they could. Kindaichi usually saw to them but he was doing some rounds of the guild's structure to make sure any future storms wouldn't cause any leaks. Bokuto figured he could do it easily enough, a walk in the woods would do wonders to clear his head too. When Kuroo and Akaashi approached the rank of stalls, he shot them a half smile over his shoulder, focusing more on turning out the straw. The smile was returned by Akaashi whose attention then fell on Hotaru seeking affection in her stall, he patted her neck as Kuroo leaned on the gate and watched Bokuto continue to work.

"So how are you gonna get back in Suga's good books?" Kuroo asked after a period of silence.

"Hm? I dunno." Bokuto sighed as he drove the pitchfork into the pile of dirty straw. "Maybe offer to help him out on his next hunt, he always complains he has to restrict how many kills he can do when he's on his own."

"Sounds like a good idea." Akaashi hummed, stroking the pack horse's face. "Maybe you could ask if he wants help cooking?"

"Bo, cooking. Akaashi are you feeling ill or something?" Kuroo teased, narrowly avoiding getting a lump of horse manure thrown at him. "Nah dude just offer to be his pack mule, Suga appreciates small gestures like that."

Bokuto nodded, eyeing the darkening sky as the afternoon drew on. "So, do you two wanna take the horses out back just to give them a bit of space? I'll continue cleaning the stalls out for Kindaichi."

Kuroo wrinkled his nose. "Nah, I need to talk to Daichi about something."

Akaashi rolled his eyes. "I'll find Kindaichi, I'm sure he won't mind, I've been meaning to get his opinion on a few things anyway..."

When the sentry returned from his canvas of the guild, Akaashi suggested they took the horses out so Bokuto could continue cleaning. The forest behind the guild wasn't as muddy or dangerous as that of the one leading away to the settlement, it was typically overlooked by most as it was on a steep incline and yielded very little in the way of edible plants. It did however prove to be a valuable haven for deer and other wildlife that could be hunted for food, as well as a quiet place to practice stealth or simply get away from everything.

As they let the horses go, Akaashi gestured for Kindaichi to sit on a fallen tree trunk with him. They watched in silence for a while as the mares first centered around the area, weaving in and out of the trees with ease before slowing to pick at the ground. The smaller of the two was Kuroo's preferred horse Yuki, dark grey coat greatly contrasting Hotaru's light brown one. There were signs of the growing season showing already, the new plants sprouting through the dirt and the leaves beginning grace the branches, even the daylight lasting a little longer than usual.

"So, what do you think of Hinata?" Akaashi asked, not one to beat around the bush. "Honestly."

Kindaichi chuckled. "Honestly? He's kinda annoying. Like, he's not a bad kid from what I can tell, and I don't hate him but I'm just--" He stopped himself. "The fire today, like if that's gonna be a regular thing then I'm not too enthusiastic y'know? And Akira doesn't like him at all."

"Yeah, that's to be expected. Hinata is older than him by a year almost, so he probably feels cheated."

"Oh no, it's not that at all, Akira just hates mages in general remember? He never really got on with Nishinoya until recently." Kindaichi sighed. "I keep telling him that he needs to let it go but he's stubborn."

"I know the feeling, Bokuto can be like that."

They shared a small laugh, the distant call of a bird filled the air as the horses continued enjoying the change of scenery; there was hardly any sign of another storm as the sky remained calm, the trees still, the air crisp and the horses content to pick at the dirt and sprouting grass, though they couldn't quite see the mountains through the forest so they couldn't be sure it would remain this way for too long.

"Do you know if he ever wants to go back?" Akaashi asked quietly, looking at Kindaichi for the first time in their conversation. He watched as the other smiled half-heartedly and rubbed his chin, leaving dark marks from his mud-covered fingers on his pale skin.

"I dunno. He sometimes talks about it, just cause it's been so long. I tell him that if he wants to, I'll go with him and he knows the guild will have no issue with it. Something is holding him back though and he hasn't told me what."

"I wouldn't necessarily expect him to talk about it, you would know that more than any of us. Though maybe Yaku could get it out of him, they share a weird bond don't they?"

"You mean Yaku literally saved his life?" Kindaichi sighed. "I can't forget the day it happened, the look on Akira's face when Yaku offered him a way out. I haven't seen him really smile since that day though so something must be bugging him deep down."

Akaashi hummed, the unwritten code of the guild was to not ask questions about each other's past. They could speculate as long as it stayed exactly that; speculation. He only knew bits and pieces of Kunimi's past from what the boy had told them himself and what Yaku had revealed, Kindaichi was the only other person to know anything about it, having grown up with Kunimi but not really becoming close until a few months before joining the guild. Kuroo and Daichi had stressed that the guild was to be a safe haven for those who resided there, that they may be brothers-in-arms and cold blooded killers, but they didn't have to lay their entire lives out to the others if they didn't want to. Such was the case with Kunimi, he told them the most basic of details but left out the meat of the story. No-one had questioned him in the time he had spent with them, however Akaashi got the feeling that Hinata would inevitably stir things up. The consequences of that stirring up could throw things off balance, but it was impossible to tell if it would be a good thing or not.

"Let's just hope that there are no personality clashes." Akaashi murmured after a while. "We've managed this long without a fallout, I'd like to keep it that way."

"Can't make any promises, but I'll try and keep Akira from losing his patience."

"Don't worry about it, he's allowed to show discontent. I think we'd all prefer it if he came out with any issues he has rather than bottling it up and have it affect his performance." Akaashi smiled, nudging Kindaichi. "Remind him that we're all brothers, yeah? He doesn't have to put up a mask all the time."

Kindaichi smiled and nodded. "Yeah, thanks Keiji."

"Don't mention it."

 

* * *

 

 

The night rolled in quietly, there was still no sign of a storm that night as Yaku perched on top of a bridge that crossed over the main road to the major southern city. He kept his eyes trained on the two figures slowly walking away from the bright torch lights of the guardhouse, just a little longer and he'd be able to strike cleanly. He unsheathed his blade, the steel catching in the moonlight as they started walking under the bridge. He moved quickly but quietly to the opposite side of the bridge and waited for them to emerge, steadying his breathing as the drunk ramblings of the two men got louder.

As soon as he could clear them, he dropped down and kicked out the back of the target's knees, bringing them down to Yaku's level. Before the other could react, Yaku bought the blade in front of them and slashed their throat open. A desperate gurgling sound came out before he moved on to the other, his gaze met confused eyes which made it all the more easy to strike again and stain the steel with blood once more. He waited until they were both motionless on the ground, life drained from them, before summoning the horse. With little more than a wrinkle of his nose, he left only dust behind as he spurred the mare to a canter and then a gallop. With the moon rising higher in the sky, he hoped to get home before dawn broke.

For him it was calming to ride so late when the hustle and bustle of the day was over; the steady thundering of horse hooves on dirt roads, the empty fields and pathways, the dim lights of farmhouses and taverns in the distance and the lack of wildlife made it all seem a little less hectic. Yaku liked it this way, he disliked the jobs that took him to crowded places and meant he had to sneak away in broad daylight.

He slowed the mare as they got closer to the settlement near the forest, there was no sense in rushing as he'd have to dismount and lead her through the trees anyway. There were one or two residents out still, wary of his presence but as his face was obscured by his hood, none risked asking. He simply directed the horse through the area and to the edge of the forest, whilst he liked the quietness of the night, the dark and unforgiving maze of trees spooked him slightly. Before even setting foot inside the forest he dug out a small stone from his pocket. Running his thumb over the engravings, he sighed heavily and held it out in front of him, it began emitting a small white glow that gave him enough light to see where he was walking.

"C'mon Amaya." He muttered, gently coaxing the mare to follow him with a slight tug on the reins. "Nearly home."

By the light of the stone in his hand, Yaku made it through the forest without losing his nerve. Neither Kunimi or Kindaichi were out on duty so he figured supper must've passed by now as he hit the lever to open the courtyard. He was surprised to find Kuroo outside as he led the horse in, but said nothing more than a small greeting as he unsaddled and got her some much needed food and water. Kuroo waited until the other had finished before striking up a conversation.

"Hinata nearly set fire to the guild today." He hummed.

Yaku laughed, brushing some of Amaya's light coloured mane away from the bucket she was drinking from. "What did I tell Daichi...he's unpredictable--"

"It was actually Bo's fault, he swung a sword at him."

"Idiot..." Yaku shook his head. "Why are you out here then?"

They simply held each other's gaze for a few moments, measuring the other's mood whilst the horse continued to drink from the bucket. "Well, Daichi accepted the job I proposed."

"So..."

"Well, it'll need all of us to complete safely...which means Hinata will be involved."

"And?"

"Well he can't wield a sword and using magic is out of the question, so Akaashi and I were thinking--"

"Dangerous, but go on." Yaku raised an eyebrow.

Kuroo ignored the remark. "You teach Hinata how to wield a dagger."

"Nope."

"But--"

"Not on my life Kuroo. I'm not teaching him how to be even more deadly."

It made Kuroo laugh, that someone who just got back from a double contract was refusing to teach someone else to wield a dagger. He shrugged, reluctantly accepting that Yaku wasn't going to change his mind in a hurry. Once Amaya was settled in her stall, he held the door open as they entered the guild, the smell of cooked food was welcome to Yaku's cold and achy body. What wasn't so welcome was Hinata being literally buzzing with energy.

"How did it go?" Akaashi asked as Hinata kept babbling to Kenma and insisting that he knew how to shape his flames into a cat. The other wasn't as enthusiastic about the conversation but he nodded politely and focused more on his stew.

"No issue." Yaku replied. "The runestone Kenma gave me was helpful in navigating the forest, I didn't fall into a bog this time."

There was a shared laugh, Suga shook his head and offered to fetch Yaku some food but Kuroo was already on it and pressing a bowl into the other's hand. For the first time since he joined, Hinata was in the company of almost the entire guild. He could still feel Kunimi's slightly irritated vibes but for the most part he felt relaxed as they all sat around the fire. There was still a lot to learn about those around him, but with his newfound friendship with Kenma, he was confident that over time he'd be fully accepted into the family.

"Oi Hinata, tomorrow you're being taught how to wield a dagger." Kuroo declared. "Akaashi is gonna teach you and Daichi will make sure you don't set anything on fire."

"Eh?" Hinata startled. "Why?"

"Because you'll need some basic skills." Daichi replied, effectively closing the conversation there and then. "We're not asking you to kill anyone, it's merely a self-defence class."

"It'll be fine." Kenma hummed. "I had to learn too, you'll be okay Shoyo."

Hinata nodded slightly, there was a slight uneasiness in him but with the flaming sword incident fresh in his mind, he accepted that he had to learn some other way to defend himself. The fire was kept alive as the evening pressed on, Yaku seemed much more relaxed around him now, but there was still a frosty reception from Kunimi so he wasn't totally at ease. It would take time, that's what he told himself as he focused more on Bokuto's animated storytelling than anything else that evening.

 


	4. Assuming Roles

Chapter Four

Assuming Roles 

His lungs burned as he readjusted the grip on the blade in his hand, Akaashi was putting him through a fast-paced lesson in dagger wielding. The other had explained how to hold the weapon and the best way to strike, then immediately challenged him to try and actually inflict damage to him.

"Too slow." Akaashi stated, barely breaking a sweat as he stepped back. "Straighten your back more."

Daichi watched as Hinata tried to follow the older male's orders, the kid was an amateur compared to the rest of them and showed it in his fighting form. He had to give the other credit, he hadn't complained about feeling tired or sore yet.

"Lead with your right foot, you're not holding the stance properly." Akaashi sighed, he was a patient but tough teacher. In a way it was a good thing Yaku declined, he probably would've lost his patience already. He didn't have to put much effort into avoiding Hinata's lunges, he was wearing light leather braces just in case though, after the fire incident it didn't hurt to be too careful.

"Let him hit you Keiji, he won't learn much otherwise." Daichi interrupted.

The other nodded, taking up a more defensive stance with his forearms protecting his chest. Hinata looked to Daichi for a nod of approval before adjusting his grip on the light dagger. He tried to remember everything they had said regarding a clean hit and follow through.

"Whenever you're ready." Akaashi stated.

With another nod from Daichi, Hinata lunged forward with the blade. The loud scrape of metal against leather rang out in the room, a grunt of approval left Akaashi as he nodded for him to continue. They carried on for a while, Hinata striking the leather bracers with more force with his growing confidence. Akaashi started trying to evade the blows, sluggishly at first as he started calling out which arm for Hinata to strike and the other followed through. With the increase in speed came more confidence, and that fuelled harder strikes that started to have an effect on Akaashi.

"Okay, that's enough for today." Daichi called, halting the practice with a smile. Hinata grinned as Akaashi gave him a thumbs up and started unfastening the bracers, the younger male immediately launching into a million and one questions about how he was doing. For someone who seemed reluctant at first, he was taking to this training with great enthusiasm. Daichi shook his head as he left them to their conversation, making his way to his quarters, it was a quiet day in the guild; Suga was out hunting with Bokuto, Kenma had locked himself away to study the new runestones he had been given, Kunimi was on his usual sentry post, Yaku was catching up on sleep and Kindaichi was seeing to the horses. Kuroo glanced up from the letter he was reading as Daichi passed by him.

"So when are we planning this heist?" He murmured, standing up and following the other leader into his quarters.

Within the small room were various maps and contracts in different states of completion, the shelves lined with trophies from high risk kills that Kuroo insisted on remembering. At first Daichi had been reluctant to take any form of trophies but Suga talked him into it after lamenting about how 'if we don't keep count of our kills then we're just killing machines. It's okay to have a conscience.'. Daichi's large bed was crammed into a corner with large furs draped over it - a by-product of breaking into a warehouse just after they first started the guild - whilst the rest of the room was taken over by various papers and books. Kuroo found it amusing how the guild leader barely kept the place tidy and how the only reason it was even _somewhat_ organised was because of Suga.

"When I'm confident that Hinata can safely wield a dagger." Daichi replied, leaning on the table the held the plan for the current heist contract. "It's a kill and steal job right?"

"With added henchmen for extra fun." Kuroo remarked, sitting on top of another table and watching the other. "It's been a while since we've had this kind of deal."

Daichi hummed, they didn't take group contracts often, mainly because it meant leaving Kenma and Kunimi to single-handedly take care of the guild whilst the others travelled for several days, but also because it required everyone to cooperate and that wasn't exactly easy.

"This is the client who thinks we have a female assassin, isn't it?" Daichi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Not my fault Akaashi looked like a girl that night." Kuroo shrugged, "How was I supposed to know that armour would show off his more...feminine build?"

"That's not the point Tetsurou and you know it. when you go to finalise the deal, you'll have to get Akaashi to--"

"I'll sort it, don't worry." Kuroo waved him off with a smile. "Just let me know when you're ready and I'll sweet talk him into it."

Daichi snorted, shaking his head and deeming it not his problem to convince Akaashi to go along with whatever weird scheme Kuroo came up with. He ran his fingertips along the scribbled words requesting their services to eliminate a wealthy landowner, that they were free to take what they wanted from the house as long as a certain item made it back to the client.

"I'll need to split everyone into two groups; the infiltrators and the follow up. No doubt about it, Hinata won't be in the first one, it'll be too dangerous and unpredictable."

"Put him with Suga then." Kuroo supplied. "Let Yaku and I lead the killing."

"Would it be worth...swapping Bokuto for Kunimi? We need someone to sneak in and unlock the door and if Yaku is partnering with you then that'll only leave Akaashi."

There was a pause. "I suppose so...but Bokuto will be able to carry more stuff?"

"We take Hotaru, she'll be able to carry stuff."

"Fair enough, so I guess I'll start breaking the news to Akaashi that he needs to put on a dress." Kuroo laughed.

"Good luck." Daichi chuckled. "Make sure he's not armed first."

"Pah, I could easily disarm him."

"Not if I recall a certain night in the tavern--"

Kuroo slipped off the table and playfully shoved Daichi with a laugh. "Shut up, or do I need to remind you of that time you got drunk and hit it off with Suga?" Daichi had no verbal response, he snorted as he averted his gaze and Kuroo simply chuckled and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, I won't say anything to the others."

"I know where you sleep, just remember that."

* * *

The sun was warming his face when Kindaichi yelled for him to get out of the treetop again, with a roll of his eyes Kunimi half-heartedly threw a shuriken towards the ground to get his irritation across before actually moving to land on the dirt. It had been quiet all morning and now he was being summoned, albeit by his best friend but still.

"What?" He mumbled, tugging down the material that covered his jaw. "Do you need something?"

Kindaichi chuckled, shaking his head. "I finished all my chores and shit, kinda wanted to just talk y'know?"

"Huh. What about?"

"Fucking hell Akira," Kindaichi sighed, folding his arms across his chest and wiping dirt into his tunic as he did so. "can't we just have a friendly chat away from the fire-pit for once?"

He didn't want to admit it, but Kindaichi was seeing a somewhat negative change in his friend; Kunimi had always been quiet and distant from most but with the past season change there was an added coldness to his demeanour and it wasn't due to the snow either. The conversation with Akaashi had brought it to his attention but he wasn't sure how to actually ask the other about it.

"I guess?" Kunimi replied, averting his passive gaze as the silence fell between them.

"Something's bugging you isn't it?" Kindaichi pressed. "You've been more...eh since the cold season."

The passive gaze didn't change as Kunimi looked back at Kindaichi, he shrugged but seemed to want to say something, yet nothing was actually said, leaving the other sighing heavily.

"Look, you can be distant with everyone else but I'm your best friend remember? I looked out for you all those years, can you at least be honest with me?"

"I never said you weren't?" Kunimi's voice gave away his confusion as well as his slight twang of hurt. "The hell are you talking about anyway? I'm not-there's nothing _wrong_ Yuutarou."

Kindaichi didn't want to think he was lying but there was a definite change in his attitude and it was happening long before Hinata showed up. He had his suspicions as to what was going on but he didn't want to throw any more accusations around. He shrugged and muttered that he was going to go and see what Akaashi was up to, turning around to walk back through the concealed entrance.

"Wait." Kunimi stated. "...I...there is something on my mind I guess."

* * *

There was a hush over the group as Akaashi put on a rare show of emotion, the fire popped in the silence as Kuroo smirked behind his hand but otherwise seemed content. Hinata just looked between the two of them as Bokuto also seemed just as clueless. Suga shook his head and muttered that he was going to go back to the kitchen and work on the hunting spoils from that afternoon, Yaku and Kunimi exchanged a glance but said nothing as they waited for Akaashi to say something.

"You're telling me, that your _genius_ idea is to dress me up like a woman and have me pretend to be your whore just so we can talk to this so-say 'important' client at a tavern?" He uttered, clenching his fists as he stood in the firelight staring at Kuroo.

"...well it's either you or Kunimi and I actually want to live so--" Kuroo smiled in return, it was a smile he used to try and sweeten tavern-maids and get away with murder, quite literally. "The client isn't gonna cough up the details if he isn't convinced the rumours are true."

"What rumours?" Akaashi nearly exploded. "Never have we stated that we have a female assassin, nor have we stated that there was a duo of that nature so what the _fuck_ are you talking about?"

Kuroo sucked in a breath through gritted teeth. "It seems that someone has gotten that idea somewhere…when the client wrote to me he specifically asked to 'see the pretty maiden responsible for slitting so many throats and stealing so many hearts'."

"You're bullshitting Kuroo, cut it out. _Now_."

The taller male reached into the pocket of his tunic, drawing out some parchment with a broken wax seal at the bottom. He offered it to the other, Akaashi scanned the words and sure enough the words Kuroo had uttered were there. He wanted to crumple up the letter and burn it immediately.

"So why do _I_ have to do it huh?" Akaashi glared, whilst he didn't necessarily _want_ to put Kunimi through the ordeal, he found it highly unfair that Kuroo wanted him to do it.

The older male hummed and raised an eyebrow. “I need a nice, petite maiden clinging to my arm and letting me touch her--"

"That doesn't answer my question." He stated as Kuroo stood up, closing the gap between them and ducking down enough to murmur against his ear.

"I think you and I could be a convincing couple, don't you?" His voice low enough that only Akaashi really heard what he said, the usually stoic male had to will himself not to think about the last time they went on a job together in a tavern, lest he give too much away to the others around them. There were a few moments of silence between them as Akaashi stared Kuroo down.

Bokuto cleared his throat. "So, I guess you're gonna need an outfit then?"

"Oh I've already covered that." Kuroo grinned, stepping away from the other. "I made sure it was the right size too."

Hinata was about to ask what the hell was going on but sensed there was a story behind all this that he hadn't been told yet. Kunimi simply sighed in relief that he wasn't going to be forced to pretend to be Kuroo's whore, getting a small laugh out of both Yaku and Kindaichi, Kenma had remained in his own room so automatically wasn't involved but Kuroo would be sure to indulge him in the scheme later.

Akaashi himself left without another word, fuming inside that Kuroo had not only dragged him into another scheme but also talked him into cross-dressing for it. He found Suga in the kitchen and ended up venting about the sheer stupidity of the idea to him, how sure he may have a 'feminine' figure but that didn't mean slapping a dress on him would automatically make him a girl.

"And don't even get me started on how I don't even have a _chest_ for a dress." He sighed, having paced back and forth in the small room as Suga smiled sympathetically.

"I'm sure the client won't think too much about that, you could just wear a hooded cloak that obscures the view of...your chest." Suga replied. "You have nice legs, put them more on show."

Akaashi tried not to let the rosiness in his cheeks show at being complimented in such a manner. "...regardless, what if the creep tries to...you know."

"Bed you?" Suga supplied, completely unfazed.

"Yes! What the flying fuck is Kuroo going to do? Probably ask for a bag of gold and literally sell me off!" The other wasn't holding back as he slammed his fist down on the wooden table.

"I think that's a little unfair, he wouldn't--"

"He's a smuggler by trade, I wouldn't count on it."

"He's much more likely to want to bed you himself."

"Sh-Shut up, don't remind me."

Suga laughed, it wasn't often Akaashi got flustered and this particular plan of Kuroo's had definitely gotten under his skin. "So, do you want any help getting ready tomorrow?"

Akaashi sighed heavily before nodding and deciding that getting sleep was probably the only _good_ idea anyone would have that evening. When dawn broke the next day, he was informed that they'd be meeting the client that night, so he had an entire day to prepare for the hell he was about to go through. He acquired Hinata to help gather water so he could thoroughly clean himself before even attempting to get dressed. Bokuto actually held off on the teasing, instead offering to help heat the water and even help scrub the dirt off the hard-to-reach places of Akaashi's back. The wooden tub that was only used sparingly - most of the time they used the lake to wash - was filled with water warmed by the fire pit, he used the time that Bokuto spent scrubbing his back to ponder how the hell he was going to pull this off.

"You'll be fine." Bokuto hummed, sensing uncertainty in the other. "Kuroo won't let anything bad happen."

"I never said he would, I'm just not totally onboard with being something I'm not." Akaashi uttered, feeling Bokuto's hands carding through his hair before a bucket of water was unceremoniously dumped over his head.

"It's one night, and all you have to do is get the info and leave right?" Bokuto asked, letting Akaashi push back his damp hair from his eyes as he found some cleaner rags for the other to dry himself with.

"I'm taking a knife, there's no way I'm going in unarmed." Akaashi stated, taking the cloth offered as he stood up and stepped out of the make-shift tub. "Can you find Sugawara? I'll need help getting dressed."

Bokuto nodded, leaving the younger male in the small room that branched off the general quarters. Akaashi worried his lip between his teeth as his eyes fell on the folded pile of clothes, he had done many contracts in his time at the guild, many of them involving near death experiences, he'd watched the life drain from his victim's eyes, he'd stained his hands and blades with blood, he even lured a woman to his bed only to suffocate her as she slept. Those had made him nervous sure, but this was on a whole new level. He swallowed, wondering if he had declined, whether Kuroo would've found an alternative way of getting the information they needed.

"You ready?" Suga's voice and the sound of the door closing tugged him from his thoughts.

"As ready as I'll ever be." He replied, forcing a smile. It was easy enough to figure out what outfit Kuroo had gotten him, the tricky part was getting into it without suffocating from the petite style. With Suga's patient help, he slipped into the tight fitting black skirt, it hugged his hips and barely reached the halfway point of his thighs, his crotch felt very exposed and he didn't like it one bit.

"You'll have to ride Yuki side-saddle." Suga hummed, no trace of humour in his voice; merely observation.

"Great."

Next came the shirt, if was even allowed to be called that, it was just as tight fitting and made of leather like the skirt and emphasised his slimly built shoulders, his biceps stretched the leather a little but it was still skin-tight all the way down to his elbows. The area where a normal female's cleavage would be slightly visible was a little looser for obvious reasons and it didn't help his paranoia.

"Do you think Kenma has any weird potions that would make me seem more..." He mumbled as his stomach was left a little exposed by the shortness of the shirt.

Suga chuckled. "Maybe. I did ask him to try and whip up something, dunno if it'll be _that_ good."

Fingerless gloves covered his wrists, Akaashi flat out refused to wear the knee-high stockings at first, stating that he felt exposed enough already without more of his thighs being on show. Suga rolled his eyes as he pointed out that it would show off his feminine legs because they - like the rest of Kuroo's stupid outfit - were skin tight and even had leather fasteners. After a few moments of cursing Kuroo under his breath, Akaashi relented and tugged them on, fastening the buckles as tight as they would go around his lower thigh without cutting off circulation. He wondered where the hell Kuroo even picked up half of these garments, they weren't exactly mundane.

As he stood, hands on his hips, Akaashi let out a loud and heavy sigh. As much as he wasn't enjoying the ordeal itself, he had to admit that the outfit didn't look _that_ bad.

"So, before we go any further, where can I put a dagger?" He asked. "Like hell am I going in without a dagger."

Suga looked him up and down, pondering himself where it would be possible to even fit a dagger into this getup without arousing suspicion. He was silent before he seemed to have a thought and rushed out of the room, leaving Akaashi to figure out how the hell he was going to walk in the heeled boots Kuroo was inflicting on him. After managing to slip them on without falling over, he took a few test steps, his ankles didn't feel that well supported at all but he'd have to get used to them. Suga returned with a bundle of cloth, Akaashi raised an eyebrow as Kenma also arrived, closing the door behind him.

"What is that?" Akaashi asked, the cloth was pulled back to reveal what he thought was a coiled up snake at first; sharp, silver-green steel divided into segments kept connected by a thin strip of wire secured at a sword hilt.

"A new thing Kenma's been working on." Suga smiled.

"Bokuto-san kept giving me broken swords for some reason and so I started testing out some ideas for weapons with...somewhat magical properties." Kenma explained, taking the hilt and lifting it up in his grasp, the chain of sharpened steel segments following in a very snake-like fashion. "It's still a working progress, but it's ready for testing."

"But what is it?" Akaashi repeated.

"A sword that can behave like a whip." Kenma stated, showing Akaashi the runestone embedded in the hilt. "Run the pad of your thumb over this engraving and--" He demonstrated, the coil keeping the pieces of blade together emitted a soft blue glow before drawing into the hilt quickly and dragging the steel together with a metallic snap to form a solid sword. "you have a sword."

Suga knew not to question how Kenma fashioned the weapon, runestones were powerful and the other had been engrossed in the project for a while. Akaashi accepted the sword, it wasn't that heavy and the stone continued glowing as he stared at it. Running the pad of his thumb over the deep engraving, the coil loosened and it was back to being a whip.

"It can be worn as a belt." Kenma hummed. "I'm still working on making it look the part."

"I guess it'll do. I'll have a hooded cloak anyway so that should hide it from most." Akaashi replied, letting Suga take the new weapon from him and work on fixing it to the skirt, the sword hilt managing to pass for a belt buckle. "By the way, do you have any concoctions that'll make me seem more feminine?"

Kenma smiled slightly. "If you're asking for me to find something that'll give you cleavage, I'm sorry to disappoint. That requires more time and it's actually rather dangerous."

"Not even some fragrance that'll make them _think_ I have--"

"Use your own damn powers." Kenma interrupted. "You have them for a reason Akaashi, just use them."

Suga secured the whip-sword to the skirt with the skirt's belt fastener, Kenma sensed his work was done and excused himself. The younger male felt Suga's gaze upon him, almost as if he wanted to echo Kenma's point.

"I don't like using them." Akaashi uttered. "I sometimes regret letting Kuroo know I..."

A hand threading through his hair stopped him, Suga didn't seem fazed as he started haphazardly brushing the damp locks of hair with his fingers. No words were said for a while, Akaashi simply let the silence draw on as a choker was gently secured around his neck, followed by the hooded cloak being draped across his shoulders and the two drawstrings tied together to keep it in place.

"You'll be fine, just trust your instincts." Suga told him, stepping back and taking in the whole outfit. The cloak was long enough to sit on but didn't reach the floor, in all honesty Suga thought Kuroo had gone overboard and that Akaashi could've worn his usual outfit and still passed for a female, but there was no sense in arguing now.

"You don't think, Kuroo did this specifically to get me to..." Akaashi trailed off, he was fairly sceptical that Kuroo would go this far to get him into bed but he did wonder.

Suga shrugged. "I don't think so, have more faith in him."

Akaashi nodded, rolling his shoulders and smiling slightly. "I suppose this isn't too bad..."

He just had to wait a few hours before him and Kuroo would leave, the tavern was in the major city south of the forest so they couldn't leave it too late. Kenma provided Suga with some slightly suspicious alchemy ingredients that could aid in making Akaashi's complexion look more the part, however Suga insisted that Akaashi had a naturally appealing face so only applied enough to slightly redden his defined cheekbones and add colour to his lips.

"Please don't tell me that's poisonous." Yaku remarked as he watched the process in front of the fire in the fire-pit room. Kuroo was seeing to his own attire whilst most of the others simply took in the sight of Akaashi wearing a skirt and letting Suga add the finishing touches to the entire look.

"It's just crushed berries with beeswax." Kenma replied. "It's fairly non-lethal."

"Fairly?" Bokuto repeated, Kenma ignored him.

"I think he's ready." Suga hummed.

Akaashi let out a small sigh, standing up and not hesitating to sway his hips slightly as he set his hands on his hips. Bokuto let out a low whistle, partly in jest but also in approval. Hinata's eyes were wide as he looked at the other fully made up, he couldn't quite wrap his head around the fact Akaashi could actually pass as a girl.

"How do I look then?" Akaashi asked, an air of amusement about him as he slyly smiled.

"Pretty." Hinata smiled, Kenma nodded in agreement.

"You think it'll convince him?"

"You bet it will, I'd certainly buy it." Bokuto replied.

Suga chuckled as he gently pulled the hood up over Akaashi's head, slightly obscuring the view of his face. "I think you'll be fine."

The door to Daichi's quarters opened, a laugh coming out before Daichi emerged and set his eyes upon the scene in front of him. Akaashi raised an eyebrow as he turned to face the guild leader who had gone silent.

"Holy..." Daichi breathed, clearing his throat quickly and averting his gaze. "I didn't think you would actually--"

"What?" Kuroo's voice came out of the open door but didn't actually appear himself until Daichi didn't reply straight away. When he stepped into the room his eyes roved over the skin-tight outfit he had selected for the other, with the new addition of the belt and the subtle details on his already flawless face Kuroo's mind was sent to the gutter faster than ever before. "Ohoho...Keiji..." He hummed.

The other smirked slightly, swaying his hips for good measure as he drank in Kuroo's equally appealing get up of a sleeveless leather jacket showing off the toned arms and the dark pants that sported the usual sheathed dagger. Hands clad in leather fingerless gloves gestured to Akaashi's form as if to emphasise his surprise.

"Like what you see?" Akaashi asked, already adopting the confident role he would need later, in his mind he just had to get through this one night and then he could murder Kuroo for even putting him in this situation in the first place.

"Hell yeah, I knew you'd look the part."

"Uh-huh, I'm not going to ask where the hell you got this outfit." Akaashi hummed, sensing that they were going to leave as soon as possible as the afternoon wore on. Kuroo just laughed and closed the gap between them, wrapping an arm around Akaashi's waist and bringing him even closer, the younger male slowly blinked before remembering that the others were still present. "Kuroo, don't we have somewhere to be?"

"Of course my dear," Kuroo spoke quietly, taking one of Akaashi's hands and bringing it to his lips, his eyes focused on only Akaashi's slender face as he softly kissed his knuckles.

"Well aren't you quick to get into character..." Akaashi uttered, slipping his hand out of Kuroo's and shoving his smirking face away.

* * *

The ride to the tavern wasn't the easiest, Akaashi hadn't ridden side-saddle since he was a kid and also didn't appreciate the feeling of the wind between his legs. they arrived in the bustling city just as the sun was setting, the crowds hardly giving them a glance as Kuroo led Yuki through the busy cobblestone streets filled with vendors. Akaashi avoided looking at anyone directly but could feel eyes on him, he held himself proudly; keeping his back straight, eyes focused on the mare's ears and legs firmly closed.

The tavern itself was well-known to them, Kuroo often frequented there to gather information and new jobs so it was no surprise that this was their meeting place too. Once Yuki was secured near some other horses and the guardsman paid to ensure her safety, Kuroo offered his arm to Akaashi - which he refused - and then approached the faded green door of the two-storey building. It was busy inside and Akaashi immediately felt a little anxious, Kuroo's hand on the small of his back settled his nerves a little as he was guided between busy tables towards the bar. The sound of his boots against wooden flooring drew more eyes to him, rather than trying to ignore them, Akaashi smiled slyly and kept his posture graceful.

Kuroo hummed in thought after ordering them both a drink, glancing around the crowds before his eyes settled on Akaashi. They shared a soft smile before the barman distracted Kuroo. The atmosphere in the tavern wasn't too overbearing, it was a standard night with good music and laughter filling the air, there were some slightly lusty looks coming from some patrons but that didn't faze Akaashi much.

"You wanna play the floor, see if anyone knows where this guy is?" Kuroo suggested, nodding to a table of particularly loud men, Akaashi understood that they were probably sailors and he'd have next to no issue pressing them for information.

"So that's your angle, huh." Akaashi remarked, taking a sip of the rum Kuroo had ordered him. "Sell me out to anyone who's dumb enough whilst you actually look for the guy."

"You make me sound like I won't have your back." Kuroo replied, his hand resting on the small of Akaashi's back again. "I'll be watching, if you need me then just nod at me."

Akaashi grunted, downing the rest of the drink faster than necessary before straightening his back again and taking a deep breath. Kuroo was definitely going to pay for all this. He adopted a soft smile, tugging his hood back enough to not have his vision obscured and tugging the skirt down a little for confidence sake. "Here goes nothing."

With a sway in his walk, he made his way to the table, it didn't take long for one of the men to notice him and attract the rest of their attention. Within two seconds of reaching the table he had all eyes on him, meeting his gaze for the split second he needed them to.

_You are looking at an attractive woman right now_

"Hey there, what's a pretty lass like you doing 'ere?" One of them slurred, hand immediately taking Akaashi's and rubbing their thumb over his knuckles.

"Just looking for someone," Akaashi replied, voice softer than usual to try and sound just as feminine as he was passing to be. "I was wondering if any of you handsome gentlemen could help me."

"Bah don't worry about 'em sweet'eart." Another said, hand coming up to cup his face and make him look in their direction, if he were to guess then most of these men were at least a few summers older than him. "Stay with us yeah? We'll show you a good time."

Akaashi giggled, pulling away from the man. "It's a very generous offer--"

Hands on his hips tugged him onto the first male's lap, he let out a small yelp as another hand rested on his exposed thigh. He felt panicked but continued to play along, seizing the hand on his leg and playfully tossing it aside. He indulged their stupid plays to try and get him to agree to spend the night with them, not letting any of them touch him for too long and managing to bat away the lusty hands for the most part. Somewhere along the lines they got tired of him avoiding their requests and started getting irritable, he too was getting tired of this ordeal.

"Aw come on, you can't come over here looking so--"

"If you're about to finish that sentence how I think you're going to end it then we're done here." Akaashi stated, forcefully tugging himself out of the other's grasp and standing up. "Just because I'm dressed like this, doesn't mean I'm available to the likes of _you_."

"You can't speak to me like that, whore!" Te now disgruntled male objected, making to grab Akaashi's wrist but got a back-handed slap to the face for his trouble. The rest of the table was eerily quiet in the bustling tavern as Akaashi looked down his nose at the vile creature who called himself a man.

"You're right, I shouldn't speak to the likes of you at all, worm."

With little else to say, Akaashi sauntered away, Kuroo had to hide smirk in his drink before gesturing to a table on the other side of the building where a single man sat looking expectantly at them.

"That's him." Kuroo hummed.

"And you couldn't spot him _before_ I nearly got assaulted _why_?"

"You looked like you were having fun."

"You are _so_ dead when we get this done, not even Kenma will be able to help your sorry ass."

Kuroo either didn't hear or didn't care, simply chuckling as he wrapped an arm around Akaashi's waist and started directing him over to the table. "Okay, so here's the plan; you and I are a duo and no-one else in the guild is involved in this job." He whispered, lips ghosting over the shell of Akaashi's ear. "And whatever you do, play along with his advances, we gotta get this guy to trust us."

"If his hand goes under my skirt he's losing it." Akaashi grunted, putting on a false smile as they approached.

"Tsk, do try to control your...urges." Kuroo hummed, pulling away and smiling at the balding male in greeting. "Good day sir."

The client was definitely older than them by several summers, several scars on his hands and face indicated he was involved in some kind of military role or that he was a criminal like them. Beady yellow eyes looked between the two of them in thought before a sleazy smile spread across his fattened cheeks.

"And you must be..." He hummed, picking up a tankard and gesturing to Akaashi. "the one the rumours speak of."

Akaashi nodded silently, Kuroo held out his hand and shook the other's as Akaashi tentatively took a seat next to the man. The stench of rum and sweat was strong, but he did not grimace outwardly as Kuroo took a seat opposite the other. Within a few seconds of light conversation, a hand had found its way onto Akaashi's lower thigh, he simply held Kuroo's gaze for a split second before leaning on his elbows on the table, seeking eye contact with their client.

_I am the woman you think I am._

"So, how long have you been a lady of the night?" The gruff voice asked, the sleazy smile did little to calm Akaashi as he felt he was being scrutinised.

"Long enough." Akaashi replied. "Is there a reason you requested my presence specifically?"

The grin on the man's face widened, his yellowed teeth matched his eyes in an unattractive fashion and Akaashi could smell more rum on his breath as he leaned closer. There was a glint in his gaze that irked the younger male. The hand on his thigh ran along the fasteners of his stockings which prompted the briefest of glances, he blinked slowly as he remained calm despite the feeling of discomfort. Kuroo directed the conversation to the contract, pulling small details out of the other and even getting a piece of rolled parchment out of him before Akaashi was once again the centre of attention; the hand on his thigh had crept up slightly, squeezing exposed skin and making him very aware of how easily the fingers could slip below the skirt.

"So who hurt you my dear?" The clearly lustful tone in his voice didn't fool Akaashi.

"I'm not sure what you mean?" Akaashi fluttered his eyes at the other, he was playing a dangerous game but this was exactly why he couldn't let Kunimi assume this role.

"Someone must've done something to you, hurt you, stole your innocence for you to turn to killing so...ruthlessly." The hand crept up his thigh a little more. "Made you fear being loved? When was the last time you let your guard down my dear?"

"I'm fine, no-one has hurt me." Akaashi replied, calm as he could be with barely an inch of skin left before he'd have to act drastically.

"Now, now, you don't have to pretend to be perfect around me."

Kuroo was trying to get this deal done and over with as quickly as possible but the writing on the parchment was difficult to read, he knew Akaashi didn't have endless patience at the best of times and this sleazy guy was going to end up without a hand if he wasn't careful.

"Oh I'm not perfect." Akaashi hummed, gently reaching down and pushing the hand back down to his knee. "I have my...ways of letting off steam." He glanced briefly at Kuroo who cleared his throat loudly and bought up a piece of the writing he needed explaining. It succeeded in distracting the client long enough for Akaashi to mentally scream and then compose himself again.

"So I think we have what we need..." Kuroo hummed, checking the parchment again, Akaashi smiled and nodded in approval at Kuroo, not missing the slightly rosy colour of his complexion. "We should be off--"

The other male's hand tightened on Akaashi's knee, a flicker of alarm passed through the younger male. "Why so quickly? Stay a while hm? Let me buy you both some drinks."

"Thanks for the offer, but we have more clients to attend to." Kuroo replied with his calm voice, offering his hand to Akaashi. "Come, my dear."

Akaashi nodded, standing up and expecting to be left alone but found his wrist being grabbed for the second time that evening. If it wasn't for his years of fighting teaching him how to centre his weight, he probably would've ended up on the floor. He glared at their client, all formalities thrown out of the window.

"Let me go." He stated, calm but not bothering to hide his irritation. "Now."

The man shook his head, fury and something darker in his eyes as he tugged on Akaashi's wrist and tried to make him submit. Kuroo wasn't sure exactly how to defuse the situation without causing a brawl, Akaashi seemed to have no issue with fighting back though. Within a few seconds, he had brought his knee up to strike the male's gut, the tight skirt flexing with movement and causing him to lose his balance slightly, Kuroo caught him before he fell, tugging him out of reach of the intoxicated male before it was too late.

"I would politely ask you don't touch her in that manner sir." Kuroo remarked, wrapping his arm around Akaashi's shoulders and pulling him close against his chest whilst withdrawing his dagger with the other hand, holding the blade up to dissuade the other from trying anything. "She may not be, as you implied, broken, but she doesn't appreciate unwanted advances."

There was a split second where the contract was the least of their worries, Akaashi played along with Kuroo's stupid ploy; pressing himself against the other's firm chest and shooting an icy glare at the man who had since recovered enough to slump back in his chair.

"Fine. Get the fuck outta here and don't come back until you've killed that bastard." He snapped, slamming his empty tankard down.

Akaashi let out a small sigh of relief as Kuroo hummed and gently led him away, arm still wrapped around his shoulders even after they had immersed themselves in the bar patrons.

"Are you okay?" Kuroo's voice was quiet, concern etched in his tone.

"Yes," Akaashi replied quickly, leaning against the older male without thinking. "thank-you for that."

"Don't mention it." Kuroo chuckled, the younger male feeling the rumble in his chest that came with the laughter. "So what now?"

"We go home?"

"Oh? The night is still young Keiji..." Fingers traced Akaashi's jawline as lips ghosted over his forehead. "and it's been a while since you 'let off steam' right?"

It was obvious was Kuroo was after, at least to Akaashi it was. He found himself smiling as he glanced up at the other, for a brief moment Kuroo seemed lost for words at how relaxed the younger male seemed despite the harassment he had just been subjected to.

"I suppose we can delay our travelling until the morning..." He breathed, wanting to avert his gaze from the hazel cat-like eyes out of embarrassment of what he was implying, but found he could not. "assuming you have the coin to guarantee us some privacy, of course."

Kuroo simply let his smile grow, raising an eyebrow as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin purse. "What kind of man would I be if I didn't provide my dear, that what she desires?"

Akaashi laughed, more at the fact Kuroo was still running with the role-play despite them not being near the client, he didn't need to keep it up, it wasn't necessary for trying to seduce him either. After all, this wasn't the first time they'd be spending the night in a tavern together, and it probably wouldn't be the last.


	5. Losing One's Innocence

Chapter Five

Losing one's innocence

 

When the duo didn't return that night in time for supper, Suga and Bokuto shared a knowing glance over the fire-pit. Yaku shook his head as he examined the state of Kunimi's shurikens and found they were blunt, turning to give the younger male a lecture about weapon maintenance and stopping. The sentry was fast asleep where he sat, head resting on Kindaichi's shoulder, dark shadows under his eyes causing Suga to ponder how much rest the other was really getting. The older male made no attempt to disturb him, it was rare of Kunimi to show his exhaustion so blatantly.

Hinata had been allowed to reside with Kenma that night, the alchemist was complaining of the coldness in his room again and stated he needed a human heater - literally. Suga had allowed it, knowing full well that Akaashi and Kuroo wouldn't be back until dawn now. Bokuto took over the tasks that Akaashi usually would do; helping Suga clean the supper bowls, replacing the candles in the general quarters, even seeing to the horses on behalf of Kindaichi as he had to physically carry Kunimi to bed because he was so out of it. Daichi went over some of the pre-plans for their heist with Yaku, noting how he was intending to drag Kunimi along in Bokuto's place in the interest of stealth.

"But you know he dislikes Hinata." Yaku replied, not wanting to speak out of term as such, but stating the facts nonetheless.

"Yeah, well he's gonna have to learn to work with Hinata, at least for the short term." Daichi huffed. "I don't like working with Kuroo half the time but we still do it."

Yaku laughed. "But still, that's cause you and Kuroo have different ways of doing things. Kunimi...well..."

"I know. But we've learnt over the years that harbouring grudges like he does isn't going to be healthy, it'll be his death one day."

"True, but he's exhausted. If we do this job in the next few days I don't think he'll be good for it--"

"Why is he exhausted? He sits in a tree all day." Daichi asked, concerned but trying to keep the conversation light.

Yaku shrugged. "I'm not sure, Kindaichi mentioned to me the other day that Kunimi was being 'weird' so I'm gonna talk to him regardless..."

The guild leader nodded, dismissing the other and sighing heavily as the door closed. Hinata joining the guild seemed like an okay idea at the time, but he forgot that Kunimi had a thing against mages. A soft knock at the door disrupted his thoughts, Suga's kind smile did a little to ease his concern as the other entered. As he was relaying Yaku's concerns, Suga got him to sit down and accept soothing fingers rubbing into his shoulders. Suga himself didn't say anything, merely nodding and humming in reply as he worked his thumbs into tense muscles.

"So that's my problem, Kunimi dislikes Hinata and will probably make a big deal of it on this job." Daichi finalised, feeling more at peace as he leaned back against Suga's hands.

"I don't think he will, Kunimi may be...what's the word..." Suga hummed.

"Difficult?"

"No, I mean, we all have emotional baggage right? And neither of us really know _exactly_ what he's been through to make him dislike mages so much. I'm still in the mindset of cutting him some slack, he's a year younger than Hinata and still has a lot of growing to do..."

"He's been with us for two summers though, I'm not saying he has to come clean already but..." Daichi sighed. "How can I ask Hinata to be open with us if Kunimi still keeps secrets?"

Suga's hands left Daichi's shoulders, sitting back on the bed and crossing his legs as Daichi turned around to face him. "You know as well as I do that taking in strays opens up the guild to people with all sorts of backgrounds, you gotta take the good with the bad and respect if they don't want to open up immediately." He smiled. "If we bully the information out of him, he may never really trust us."

"You're right...as always." Daichi remarked, rolling his eyes and laughing as Suga playfully punched his shoulder.

"Give him more time, sure he may need a nudge but I believe it'll happen naturally anyway."

"So about this heist..."

"You want me to pair with Hinata don't you?" Suga sighed.

"Well yeah, it's either you or Akaashi."

"I think I can manage well enough, so when are we pulling it off?"

Daichi hummed in thought, rubbing his chin as the distant sound of footsteps echoed throughout the guild, sound travelled within the stone walls and the makeshift floorboards always creaked whenever stepped on, in a way it reminded him of being on a ship.

"I would say as soon as possible, though I don't know what state Akaashi will be in, whether he'll want to strangle Kuroo after tonight y'know."

Suga laughed, shaking his head as he recomposed himself. "Well, if it’s any consolation, he's needed to blow off steam for a while now so maybe it's for the best."

"I guess, I can't remember the last time I blew off steam in that manner." Daichi's tone dropped slightly, the other registered the change in his voice and let out a small chuckle.

"It was...before the blizzard where Bokuto nearly got caught in his own trap, remember? You had been pacing the kitchen for almost two hours because you were so riled up--" A hand over Suga's mouth silenced him, he raised an eyebrow in response before batting the hand away. "Are you perhaps implying you need to blow off steam again?"

"Not yet, but soon. I might need your help with it."

"Oh I'm sure Kuroo could oblige, it seems more his speciality than mine." Suga winked, quickly shuffling off the bed before the other could reply. "Besides, I have a new recruit to watch over, I can't be...distracted now, can I?"

With that, Suga ruffled Daichi's hair and left the guild leader to ponder his response.

 

* * *

 

 

It was nearly midday when Kuroo and Akaashi actually got back, Daichi didn't waste any time in factoring the new information into the heist plans whilst the day was still young. Akaashi tried to play off the mark on his neck as a bruise from a bar fight but the only person who actually seemed to believe that was Hinata, everyone else just seemed to respect what he was trying to do and kept quiet. During supper that night it was announced that they'd be taking the job and set out the following night, Bokuto was a little put out that he wasn't accompanying them but Kuroo assured him that it would be a boring job really so he wasn't missing 'much'. As predicted, Kunimi wasn't quite on board with it, nor was Hinata actually.

"Why do I have to come?" Hinata asked, mouth full of food as Daichi started listing off who was doing what.

"Because you need to pay your way in this guild, if you're not assassinating people like Yaku, then you need to help us rob this place." Kuroo replied. "You'll be paired with Suga so you won't even see any killing happening."

"Can't I stay here with Kenma and help him instead?" Hinata continued.

"I do not need help though." Kenma replied.

"It'll be fine Hinata." Suga smiled, offering him another helping of roasted deer. "Trust us a little, yeah?"

"Would it really be a wise idea for him to be with us? He might set the place on fire--" Kunimi uttered.

"Perfect! No need to hide the bodies then." Kuroo grinned.

"Kuroo no." Akaashi sighed.

"Kuroo _yes_."

"Seriously, he could set fire--" Yaku started, only getting cut off by Hinata standing up.

"I've told you all," He stated, hands clenching into fists as he stared at the older male before meeting Daichi's gaze. "I can control my flames, the armoury incident was a one off. When Akaashi-senpai was practising with me I didn't set fire to _anything_ at all! I just got caught off guard and panicked!"

Several of them looked as if they were about to oppose to the idea still, but Daichi held up his hand to silence them. Hinata's clenched hands trembled as he waited for the guild leader to say something to his outburst, hearing those doubting him wasn't anything new, however the fact they kept jumping to the same conclusion just because he was a little different was starting to get to him. Daichi seemed to mull his thoughts over as Kenma gently reached out and tugged on Hinata's wrist to get him to sit back down, no-one else dared to speak as the crackling of the fire pit filled the silence between them.

"You will be with Suga, therefore there should be little reason for you to get spooked." He finally replied, leaning forward on the bench, elbows resting on his knees as kind eyes met Hinata's. "I'm not intending to let you witness the brutality that will be the eliminating of threats through violence, for it hasn't exactly been your choice to be dragged into this task."

"Uhm..." Hinata wasn't sure what to say, the tightness in his chest had eased a little at the larger male's words. "Thanks...I think?"

Daichi let out a hearty chuckle before stealing himself. "As for the rest of you, need I not remind you of the guild's stance on accepting the lost? That all of you were just as confused and reluctant as Hinata when you all first joined?" He asked, breaking eye contact to glance around those who had been more outspoken about their doubts. "I questioned all of you with regards to your own restraints but still accepted you, why is he any different?"

It took all but a few seconds for a reply to come.

"Because he's a mage, and they're nothing but trouble." Kunimi uttered, avoiding looking at Daichi directly.

"Akira, we know you have a problem with--" Suga started.

"No, you know fuck all about what I had to go through with people of _his_ kind." The younger male snapped. "Don't try to play the innocent card with me, he's just gonna be like the rest."

Kunimi didn't wait to be challenged again, he stood up and left the room swiftly, Kindaichi was unsure whether to go after him at first but got the nod from Kuroo to pursue the other. Hinata's hands were trembling again, Kenma gently held him in his own hold, trying to ease the anxiousness now burning within the other.

"What is his problem with...my..." Hinata uttered, Suga gently wrapped an arm around his shoulders and ruffled his hair.

"Don’t worry about it. Kunimi is...there's a lot we don't know about him yet." The other told him.

Kuroo met Daichi's gaze, no words were said but one thing was for certain; tensions were going to get worse as time went on.

 

* * *

 

The plan had been settled, after running through the order of things with everyone - and making some small amendments including Kuroo's idea to set fire to the place in order to cover their tracks - everything was decided. Kunimi reluctantly accepted his role alongside Akaashi as the main infiltrators, Hinata felt a little more at ease knowing for sure he'd be with Suga the entire time and away from most of the violence, Kuroo babbled on for a bit about how great it would be for Kindaichi to shadow him and Daichi and for Yaku to not have the weight of the world on his shoulders for once.

Kenma asked if they required his assistance for anything, Kuroo merely grinned.

The place they were raiding was a wealthy merchant's warehouse attached to his home. They planned to enter through the warehouse and eliminate anyone who got in their way, Akaashi had been tasked with killing the target - somewhat demanding to after everything he had to go through to get the contract in the first place - and everyone else just had to help clear the way and then rob the place afterwards. They split into their three groups just before they got within sight of the guardhouse, Kuroo had passed the place enough times on the way to and from other jobs to know they had lookouts for situations like this. Akaashi and Kunimi were given the nod to proceed forwards, their task was simple; to get into the gated courtyard and raise the gate keeping the others from scoring a direct path inside. Of course it wasn't going to be easy, it was going to require a good deal of patience and concentration to not get caught.

Using the cover of the night gave them a slight advantage, the trees surrounding much of the wooden fences gave them added cover and a way in. With his day to day practice of climbing the pine trees outside the guild, Kunimi was very well versed in scaling heights and not batting an eyelid at the very real danger of falling. Akaashi was a little more nervous, not used to being at gravity's mercy but he shoved the thought aside as he followed the younger male up one of the trees near the fence.

"So, how do you wanna handle this?" Kunimi asked as they perched on the higher branches, from the vantage point Akaashi could see into the courtyard; lit torches gave him some idea of the space they were dealing with and there the lever from the gate could be. They also gave him an idea of how many henchmen were lurking around.

"Orders were to create as little commotion as possible." Akaashi replied, running through possible plans. "Attacking them isn't really going to achieve that."

Kunimi snorted. "I could...distract them." he hummed directing Akaashi's gaze towards a cart loaded to the brim with barrels stacked on their sides, the only thing stopping the barrels from rolling out of the cart was a rope that could easily be severed by one of his shurikens.

Akaashi considered it, there were at least five thugs in the courtyard, possibly more lurking in the shadows, would all of them immediately rush over to see what caused the barrels to fall?

"Do you see the lever? Cause I don't." He uttered. "Don't do anything yet, stay here whilst I try and get a better look."

With a grunt of acknowledgement from Kunimi, the older male slowly began to move to another tree. Akaashi knew that they didn't have all the time in the world but he also knew that hastiness lead to mistakes, sure creating a distraction was a great idea but only if they knew exactly what the next part of the plan would be. It had been a while since he last had to break into somewhere, his last few kills had been quick slashing of throats and poisoning drinks in taverns, nothing that required him to actively force entry, so he was a little rusty.

After getting a different view of the courtyard from a few trees away, Akaashi could see where the gate lever was, the problem was that it was directly lit by a flaming torch above it, so regardless of the distraction, they'd be spotted before the gate was even open halfway. It was a sticky situation, but he accepted that one of them would have to run the risk. When he relayed this in hushed whispers to Kunimi, the younger male didn't need to speak to get the idea across. Akaashi nodded as the other readied his weapon that would sever the rope.

"Give me to the count of twenty to get over there." Akaashi ordered. "Then go for it, and _don't_ get involved unless it looks ugly."

"Got it." Kunimi sighed, a little put out he was being told to stay put regardless of what happened now. He actually enjoyed taking lives given half a chance.

"I mean it Akira, the others are waiting for the gate to lift, once it is up they'll storm in remember? Only move onto the next part when they move in, got it?"

"Yes, yes." Kunimi grunted. "Get on with it."

Sensing that the younger had gotten the idea, Akaashi dropped down to lower branches, making his way around the outside of the courtyard via the trees and low-lying foliage. He kept count in his head as he moved, aware Kunimi wouldn't wait for any kind of signal or even check to see if Akaashi was in his sights before letting loose with the distraction attempt. He had barely made it into position when he heard the crack of rope snapping and the low rumble of barrels rolling and falling out of the cart. Confused yelps from those in the courtyard signalled that the distraction had worked but Akaashi was troubled as he dropped down inside the fence. Casting his eyes over to the cart, a large group of men had gathered all arguing about whose fault it was that the barrels had fallen, something was off about them though; on closer inspection he could see they were all wearing dark blue tunics underneath iron-fitted chest pieces adorned with embellishments meant to show off their status, much more advanced than that of simple mercenaries for hire.

A familiar crest on the front of one of their chest pieces sent a spark of panic through him.

"Shit." He breathed, deciding that they definitely needed the upper hand on this group. He made his way to the lever, having to use his full body weight to pull it out of the locked position. It made a loud creak of protest that definitely got the armed guard's attention.

"Hey! Who the fuck are you?"

The iron bars of the gate started rising very slowly, cranks and chains rattling as they did so. Akaashi wasted no time in drawing his dagger, it was fairly new but he had been using it to practice with Hinata so he was confident it was good quality, though that wouldn't matter if he had to try and fight off four men the size of mountains. He somewhat regretted telling Kunimi to not get involved but at the same time, the smaller male would also be no match for them. Cursing the sluggish nature of the gate mechanism, he chose to draw as many as he could away from the gate so they'd be caught off guard by the others' arrival.

there was no chance of a peaceful settlement to the encounter, the first to meet him immediately drew his sword and lunged for him, well-trained reflexes caused him to leap backwards but left him too far away to retaliate properly. Considering his options carefully, the blade in his hand over the new one coiled around his waist, the gate still rising and no help in sight; Akaashi had been in far stickier situations but this was still on the edge of terrifying.

The wind whistled as another blade made to slash his shoulder, his own blade came up to meet it and deflect the hit as much as possible. His free hand flew to the handle of the whip, withdrawing it and not hesitating as he jerked his wrist to make it strike. Sharp edges of the sword pieces bit into the exposed hands of one of the attackers, a hiss of pain coming in reply as ruby red droplets fell from the wounds. He avoided backing himself into a corner as he rolled away, slashing deep cuts to the unprotected calves of another. A loud howl left the man as he began hunching over, armour shifting and exposing a weak spot that Akaashi's dagger easily sunk into. The steel was stained red as he withdrew it, cracking the whip again at another advancing attacker to buy him time to regain his footing.

The welcome sound of rushing footsteps preceded the arrival of Kuroo and company, Akaashi let out a small sigh of relief as the clashing of swords met his ears, he ran his thumb over the rune embedded in the hilt of the whip and watched the blue glow become bright as bloodied pieces became one blade.

"Took you long enough." He grunted, slashing again at the unprotected calves of another brute.

"I could say the same." Kuroo replied, sword clashing with another. The commotion had drawn more thugs from the building, proving to be a problem but one that could be rectified easily enough.

Kindaichi had utilised the 'mace-on-a-chain', as Bokuto coined it, by rearranging several faces with it. Daichi was dealing quick and efficient blows to tire out his opponent until Yaku could come up behind them and run a dagger between the armour plates. Grunts, groans and hissed cuss words were traded back and forth as blows affected both parties. Akaashi felt the wind get knocked out of him by an elbow to the chest, only stopping the blade meeting his neck by throwing his own sword up in defence.

"Not today." Yaku grunted as a throwing knife was launched and squarely hit its mark at the thug's neck. A gargle left him as he slumped to the side, Akaashi rolled away to avoid getting covered in both blood and a heavy body. Yaku dragged him to his feet before having to meet another sword with his dagger. "Let's go, they can handle this sorry bunch." Yaku hissed as he shoved Akaashi to start jogging towards the open door of the warehouse.

Akaashi didn't wait to be told twice as he witnessed Kuroo running a sword through one of the brute's neck. He sheathed his dagger but kept hold of his newer sword as he and Yaku made their way to the door. The sound of someone landing next to them startled him at first but then realised it was Kunimi following through with their carefully laid plan.

"So, kill everything that moves eh?" Yaku clarified as they reached a closed wooden door.

"I dunno what this jerk looks like so yeah." Akaashi replied, rolling his shoulders in preparation for whatever lay beyond the door.

Yaku nodded, hand readying another knife as his free hand gripped the door handle. He let out a sigh before slamming the door open, three thugs startled before realising what was happening and readying their own weapons. Kunimi released two of his own throwing knives grimacing slightly as they hit their target in both the forehead and cheek. Akaashi met another in the centre of the room, deflecting the first strike of the blade before thrusting his sword into their unguarded chest. He watched the life drain from their eyes as he withdrew the blade and let them drop to the floor.

The third had escaped through one of many doorways leading off the main room they found themselves in. After a quick inspection that concluded two of the five doors led to small storerooms with no threats, that left three doors that needed investigating. With the pressure of time nagging them, Akaashi declared splitting up to be the best course of action.

It would be a decision he'd later regret.

 

* * *

 

 

Hinata felt sick to his stomach, even with Suga's calming aura he couldn't quite accept that he was most likely about to witness a fair few dead bodies. It wasn't that he hadn't seen death before, but this wasn't a battlefield or a dragon attacking a herd of sheep, this was cold-blooded murder of warehouse guards. In the time that he and the older male had been waiting, he had asked Suga what they'd be walking in on, how he was supposed to handle just accepting that this was all meant to be. Suga had given him a sympathetic smile, recounting his first job of this sorts back when the guild was much more disorganised, there was little planning involved and it nearly got both him and Kuroo killed.

"The smell is the worst part." The older male hummed. "It's not just blood, it's the smell of death itself hanging in the air, clinging to your clothes and nearly suffocating you."

"But why do we do it? Surely there's--"

"We were paid to get rid of one person, but they've secured guardsmen willing to lay down their lives in protection. It's no different to a king requesting a royal guard and then being slaughtered on the field of battle."

Hinata shook his head. "But they don't know we're going to kill them, a king going into battle would surely know deep down he could die that day and his royal guard too."

"This one did know we were coming. He knew the moment he double crossed his business partner that they wouldn't hesitate to hire us. That is why we had no issue here. Just be thankful that Daichi and Kuroo saw fit to place you with me as opposed to making you kill up front." Suga's tone had changed from compassionate to a much darker one, almost as if he had seen this all before.

It was somewhat unclear at first what signal they were looking for, at least to Hinata, they didn't want to alert any locals of what was going on so massive explosions were a no-no. The horse was silent as she grazed some nearby grass that had sprouted in the first few days of the growing season, Hinata watched the roof of the warehouse, the faint glow of lit torches illuminated the building and surrounding fences enough to make out their shapes but nothing else. There were no sounds coming from them on the wind, it was both a good and bad thing.

"Smoke." Suga stated after a while, nodding to faint wisps rising from within the fences as he gathered the reins on Hotaru. "They set off Kenma's smoke bomb, let’s go."

Hinata nodded, following Suga's lead as he started walking along the same path the others had taken a short while ago. As they passed under the gate Hinata got his first look at the utter chaos the others had encountered; bodies lay on the ground, blood both pooling around them and splattered on shipping crates nearby. He didn't look too much at the wounds they had suffered, his weak stomach wouldn't cope with that. Kindaichi seemed confused at their arrival when he heard the horse hooves approach.

"What are you doing? We haven't set off the signal yet--"

"We saw smoke though?" Suga replied, equally as confused as he gestured to the roof of the building, the wisps of smoke were heavier but no sign of what exactly was causing them.

"Shit that wasn't us, not to my knowledge anyway."

Suga didn't waste a second, he secured Hotaru to a fence post before slipping his bow off his shoulder and making his way to the door, Kindaichi followed without hesitation, swinging the mace head as he peered down the hallway the rest of the guild brothers had disappeared down. With little option, Hinata went with them. They found two dead bodies in the first room, Kindaichi's remark about Kunimi using his throwing knives for killing people again did little to ease the tension Hinata felt. Suga had an arrow poised in his fingers, ready to be properly loaded at a seconds notice and he didn't seem in the mood to laugh.

"Three doors huh." He uttered, there was no sign of brutality from any of the branching hallways so it was a matter of chance that they'd pick the right one.

"We could split up?" Kindaichi replied.

"Are you nuts?" Suga almost snapped. "And what if Hinata runs into someone? No, he stays with one of us remember?"

"But didn't he get trained in dagger wielding? Surely he'll be fine?"

"I'm right here you know..." Hinata murmured, clenching his fists as nausea in his stomach was replaced with something more fiery, being treated like a lost little boy was starting to get on his nerves just a little. "I can handle myself senpai, I know I can."

Time wasn't on their side, Suga knew that every second he wasted arguing about this was another second their guild-brothers could be in danger. Sending Hinata off on his own could prove fatal for the mage but there was a glimmer of stubbornness in his eyes that said no matter what Suga thought, Hinata was going to go at it alone.

"Fine, but be stealthy if you can, don't engage the enemy if you don't have to." Suga told him.

Hinata nodded, fumbling a little as he drew his dagger; a simple blade that Bokuto had sharpened for him, it would do a decent amount of damage if he landed a direct hit. Suga still seemed reluctant to let him go but there were other things at stake here. The older male immediately set off down one of the hallways, leaving Kindaichi with Hinata.

"Don't worry about him." Kindaichi sighed. "He's just worried about everyone, remember what he said and don't do anything dumb okay?" He ruffled Hinata's hair before taking the next hallway along, leaving the last hallway for Hinata.

For all his determination, Hinata was starting to second-guess his choice to go it alone. His footsteps sounded too loud on the wooden flooring as he started down the narrow passageway, his hands trembled a little as he held the blade in his grasp and rounded a corner. He couldn't hear any sounds indicating he was near anyone, but that didn't make the ordeal any less terrifying to him. The hallway split off in two different directions, he wasn't sure which way to go or whether any of the others had been through there yet. After figuring that he had a half and half chance of being wrong, he took the left path.

When he came to a door, he paused to listen; a faint voice could be heard but he couldn't be certain it was this close to him as he reached out to turn the handle. It was a room that reminded him of the armoury back in the guild, but not as well stocked or big, he had to turn a corner to see the rest of the room and whether there was another door leading away. He had to bring his free hand to his mouth to stop him yelping in surprise; a large man was turned away from him sharpening a blade, broad shoulders protected by studded leather, his back exposed but Hinata was in no right mind to even think about trying to kill him - that and Suga told him not to try and challenge anyone he came across.

He decided to play it safe, slowly and carefully stepping back through the doorway. When it came to closing the door, he tried to be silent about it, but the old hinges squeaked as he tugged the door back. There was a grunt of confusion, the slight shift of footsteps on stone, Hinata froze. His instinct to summon his flames was biting at him, but that would surely lead to the death of not only his target but possibly everyone else.

After what felt like an eternity, the sound of stone against steel began again, Hinata decided to cut his losses and leave the door ajar. He walked on the balls of his feet to try and prevent his footsteps being heard as he got back to where the paths split. Taking a second to regain his breath and wipe the sweat from his forehead. Fear was gripping him as the reality of the job set in; he didn't actually know where any of the others were, he had next to no combat training and he would be no match for any brute he came across.

"You can do this." He breathed, placing a hand over his racing heart. "Just find one of the others."

Taking the right-hand path this time, he walked down a longer passageway, doors were wide open either side of him indicating one of the guild members had been investigating. He didn't waste time looking into each of the rooms himself, he just wanted to find one of the others can get the hell out of there. He didn't think as he opened the door at the end of the hallway, his eyes fell on the body of a thug; slit throat and bloodied knuckles were the only details he cared to think about as a loud crash caught his attention.

"Oh _great_ , another one, come to finish me off?" A man with blood trickling down his arm snarled, his eyes bore into Hinata's as he stood swaying at the other end of the room. "Your fuckin' friend came through here, killed one of our best thieves but couldn't directly hit me."

The hand holding Hinata's dagger trembled, he swallowed as he took up the stance Akaashi had taught him to parry strikes, not that this guy seemed to have a weapon on him.

"Then the coward ran away, did they send the runt in to finish his job?"

Hinata wasn't sure if he had to reply or not, he had a vague idea who had walked through here before he did but wasn't about to state it out loud. The older male took a step towards him, fingers twitching at the scabbard hanging at his waist. They stood regarding each other in silence, Hinata's body felt like it was going to give up altogether on him as his knees shook and his hands began to sweat. The more seasoned fighter of the two grinned, teeth yellowed and a few missing in the toothy smirk.

"Oh? Is this your first time?" He taunted. "A little virgin on a massive job like this? What was Kuroo thinking?"

Two things were clear to Hinata in that moment; one was that these guys knew exactly who Kuroo was and in turn who the guild was, the second was that his free hand was about to get a lot hotter.

"I...It's none of your business!" Hinata snapped, trying to fight with his words rather than the blade in his hand.

"So you _are_ a virgin at this, there's not a speck of blood on that blade and you definitely don't carry yourself like they do. Man, when I'm done tearing you in two, I'll have the last laugh--

The door at the opposite end of the room burst open, distracting the brute for a split second. A low chuckle accompanied the tall male entering the room, Hinata felt a sense of relief wash over him as the other moved quickly and kicked the brute's knees, forcing him to the ground with a loud howl. He bought his own knee up to the other's chest and further forced him to lie down, placing his foot down on his neck just enough to cause discomfort.

"Should've known Kunimi would fuck up." Kuroo grunted, glancing up at Hinata. His expression was far from the usual relaxed smile he wore, this was stony-faced disappointment mixed with fury. "Are you okay?"

Hinata nodded, eyes flickering between the guild leader and the brute on the floor.

"So what was that about you tearing my apprentice in two huh?" Kuroo pressed, applying more pressure to the thug's throat. "Wait, I don't wanna hear it."

"Where are the others?" Hinata hesitated to ask.

"Daichi and I cleared out the stragglers left by Kunimi, haven't seen Yaku yet, Akaashi dealt the fatal blow to the actual person we were assigned to kill. Now Suga is canvassing the place to see what's worthy of taking. Kindaichi should be watching the road, otherwise we might get some more bodies and gold for our troubles here..."

The thug under Kuroo's boot saw an opportunity to struggle; he rolled out from under the sole of the other male's shoe and scrambled to his feet. Hinata wasn't sure what to do as the brute got to his feet again and unsheathed his sword. Kuroo chuckled as his hand went to his thigh and withdrew his own blade, shorter than the thug's but still threatening enough, rolling his wrist as he took a fighting stance. He side-stepped away from the first swing, evaded the second in a similar manner as he started canvassing for weak spots, noting the already injured shoulder as a possible striking point. The third strike caught Kuroo's leather-bound arm, the scraping of steel against tanned leather rung out in the room before Kuroo's fingers closed around the blade and forcefully yanked the other male close enough to drive his dagger between the bindings of his light armour.

A low grunt left the lips of the brute, Kuroo smirked as he let go of the sword and brought his dagger out, blood coating the blade, and watched the other slump back to the floor.

"And here I was hoping he'd surrender quietly..." Kuroo sighed, beckoning Hinata to follow him through the door he entered from. "Needless killing is the worst sometimes."

Hinata wanted to vomit, he trembled as he followed Kuroo further into the building, they passed more bodies and several pools of blood before ending up in a large room that seemed to be the main storage area. Akaashi was helping Suga go through various crates of shipped goods as Kunimi sat on the floor with an apathetic expression on his face.

"Right, make this quick and then we torch the place." Kuroo ordered, getting a nod from Suga. "And make sure we get that pendant, that's our ticket to getting paid."

"Already obtained." Akaashi replied, gesturing to his own neck where a silver chain hung, large red gemstone hanging off it.

Kuroo grunted, Suga made fast work of all the goods and carefully selected what was both useful and valuable to take. The lack of both Daichi and Yaku's presence was noticeable and Kuroo soon began pacing the room.

"Where are they? We've cleared the entire building, there's no-one left." Kuroo grunted to no-one in particular. A sickening realisation came over Hinata, he wasn't sure how to go about telling Kuroo that there was still someone left, someone that he should've killed but didn't.

"Uhm..." He uttered, getting the guild leader's attention. "There...might be someone."

"What?"

In a panicked state, Hinata told Kuroo about the argument to even let him go alone and how that lead to him wandering the warehouse by himself. When he came across the giant brute and didn't kill him, he effectively failed in the one job he had to do. The guild leader didn't say anything to Hinata at first, simply demanding Suga got Kunimi out of the warehouse immediately and prepared to hightail it out of there. Akaashi seemed to read between the lines and drew his whip from around his waist, activating the rune in the hilt and not even looking as the sword formed.

"So, where did Yaku go?" Kuroo asked him.

"I sent him down the central hallway."

"Same one Daichi went back down..." Kuroo uttered, looking back at Hinata. "You can either come with us, or follow Suga out. I'm not forcing you to do either."

Hinata was in two minds; he didn't want to see any more death that day, however he also didn't want to simply run away from a situation he had caused, even if he was effectively useless at this point, he felt he had a duty to help out in any way he could. With little time to lose, Kuroo immediately set off to find the missing guild brothers, Akaashi right on his heels and Hinata somewhat skittishly bringing up the rear. Their fast footsteps echoed off the walls, no sense in trying to be overly sneaky at this point, every now and then Kuroo would halt them and listen for sounds of combat, once he thought he heard something they would follow his lead. In the network of rooms and passageways, it was almost impossible for Hinata to tell where they were any longer. Akaashi showed no emotion on his face as he glanced behind them occasionally to check they weren't being followed, it set Hinata on edge more than anything else, his hands trembling and itching to fall back on his bad habits.

"Here." Kuroo uttered, holding up his hand to stop them, a door lay ajar and blood on the old cracked wood gave him the impression they had found Yaku and Daichi.

He wasn't wrong, but that wasn't all they found. The first thing to catch their attention was Daichi's hunched over form, he looked up with panic, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth as Kuroo's eyes shifted to the other guild member currently being held against the wall by his neck, defiant eyes glared at the culprit; the large brute Hinata had encountered before, studded armour emphasising bulky arms covered in wounds old and new alike, large fingers wrapped around the smaller male's thin neck looked like they could squeeze just a little more and render Yaku completely unable to fight back.

Kuroo didn't speak as he threw the door open the rest of the way, glaring at the brute as he stood in the doorway.

"Kuroo Tetsurou, should've known." A gravelly voice replied, toothy grin accompanying it as his grip on Yaku's neck hardly faltered.

"Put him down." Kuroo stated.

"You slaughtered my entire unit and you ask me to simply 'put him down'?"

Akaashi stepped out from behind Kuroo, leaving Hinata in the hallway utterly frozen at the situation. He kept his eyes on the large male as he made his way to Daichi's side, the guild leader had taken a beating but was conscious, still in no fit state to fight to the death. Kuroo didn't break eye contact with the other, simply stepping forward a little more and drawing his blade once more.

"Difference is, you're outnumbered here, and I think you'll find that even brute force can't compete with us anymore."

Hinata had a very bad feeling that Kuroo was about to volunteer his abilities as a way to save Yaku. He didn't want to use his magic for murder, but in the muddied politics of being an assassin, it didn't seem like he had much choice. Kuroo obviously had a score to settle with whoever this was, and right then they had the upper hand so who was he to question an order he might receive? He had been welcomed into the guild without much question, he owed them this much.

He didn't even wait to be asked, with Kuroo still obscuring the brute's view of him he began concentrating more on the tingling sensation in his hands. He had gotten used to summoning them without causing a scene, though this would be the first time he'd use them in such a manner. Akaashi helped Daichi out of the room, noting the look of concentration on Hinata's face as they passed, a silent nod was exchanged between them before he focused on getting Daichi to safety.

"I'd like to see that." The brute's voice drew Hinata back to the matter at hand, Kuroo exchanged a look with Yaku before stepping aside and glancing back at Hinata. He seemed a little surprised that the mage was already on the same page as him; hands splayed in front of him with small wisps of fire orbiting them, just like Kunimi witnessed during their first encounter.

"P-Put him down." Hinata stated, flames licking at his fingertips as he channelled his guilt over all of this into his magic. Kuroo eyed the brute wearily, trying to gauge what was going to happen, Yaku felt the fingers tighten a little more and let out a choked grunt, trying to kick at the arm holding him in place.

"Or what?"

"Don't hesitate Hinata." Kuroo interjected. "No-one will miss this bastard."

Hinata blocked out how wrong this all felt, how this went against everything he knew magic to stand for. Tears welled up in his eyes, vision going cloudy as his hands shook, the wisps connected into two large unruly spheres before leaving his palms in an untamed fashion, the familiar prickling sensation accompanying it. The stench of burnt flesh caught his nose along with the slight stinging of his own fingertips being singed. The scream from the brute was enough to know he hit his target. Yaku landed on the floor wheezing, clutching his throat as Kuroo quickly got him back to his feet and shoved him out of the door.

"C-Can I stop now..." Hinata murmured, averting his gaze from the pain he was currently causing.

Kuroo's hand on his head reassured him, without looking up he dispelled his flames and turned away.

 


	6. Consequences

Chapter Six

Consequences

 

Dawn was just breaking when Bokuto stirred. The sound of movement in the guild spurred him to drag his heavy body out of bed and see what had happened. Within two seconds of seeing Kuroo, he knew things hadn't gone to plan; the stony expression on his face, the way he kept rubbing the back of his neck and wincing slightly, it had been a while since a plan had gone 'wrong' but Bokuto knew the signs well enough.

"Why do you all smell of smoke..." He cautiously asked, getting a subtle shake of the head from Suga, code for 'shut up before someone shuts you up'.

"I'll tell you later." Kuroo grunted, nodding to Hinata who had hardly said a word since leaving the warehouse. "You might wanna take him to Kenma, he may have accidentally gone through the initiation tonight."

Bokuto didn't need to ask any more questions, not for the present. He smiled as Hinata watched Akaashi and Daichi walk straight past him towards the warmth of the fire-pit, the day was just beginning but what most of them needed right now was rest. He gently reached out and ruffled Hinata's hair before gesturing to the firmly closed door of Kenma's room.

"C'mon, he's not a morning person usually but I think he'll make an exception today." He hummed, knocking on the door before opening it a little. The pile of blankets shifted slightly before Kenma's tired eyes found Bokuto's.

"What." He grunted, eyes flickering to the slightly trembling form that was Hinata. "Oh."

"Yeah, Kuroo said he should stay with you for now?" Bokuto replied, mindful to _try_ and keep his voice quiet. "You're cool with that right?"

Hinata didn't say anything, letting Bokuto usher him into the dark room without resistance. Even in his tired state, Kenma seemed to clock onto something not being quite right yet didn't say anything, he simply shuffled over within the nest of blankets and allowed Hinata to cautiously slip under the layers. The smell of smoke was strong, Kenma could only imagine what had happened as Bokuto shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. The older male left them alone, shutting the door behind him as he went off to ask the others for more information.

"Do you want to talk?" Kenma breathed, not really used to having to comfort people but it seemed he was the only one available to do so in that moment.

"Not really..." Hinata mumbled, shuffling closer and bumping his forehead against Kenma's shoulder.

For a moment, Kenma debated moving away, he hated physical affection normally and made sure to remind Kuroo of this every time the other tried to hug him unnecessarily. However, he also knew what it felt like to be scared of his own thoughts, memories of what he had seen or done coming back to haunt him, he knew sometimes something mundane like a head pat or a hug could dispel them for a while.

"Just rest then." He hummed, somewhat hesitantly wrapping an arm around Hinata's small torso and pulling him just a little closer. "I'll be here."

A small whimper left the younger male as he nodded against Kenma's shoulder, the other's presence was calming, even if he did come across as apathetic sometimes, and for that Hinata was thankful.

 

* * *

 

 

"So how exactly did the roof catch on fire before we even got in there?" Kuroo asked, pacing Daichi's quarters as the other guild leader sat on his bed and had his wounds tended to by Suga. "Cause I sure as hell didn't order any of them to start--"

"It was probably in response to Akaashi raising the alarm." Suga interrupted before Kuroo could get even more worked up, they were all tired and just wanted sleep but there were things that needed discussing. "Yaku and Akaashi wouldn't have strayed from orders, you know that."

Daichi let out a small hiss of pain as Suga dabbed at his split lip with a damp rag. "Well, in any case, the smoke meant you thought the coast was clear."

"Yes, I'm sorry."

"No it's not your fault." Kuroo waved Suga's apology off. "That was an honest mistake."

"So what wasn't?" Suga countered, shooting Kuroo an accusing look as he pulled his hand away from Daichi. "Are you referring to Kunimi failing to clear the hallway that Hinata ended up going down? Because again, that was my fault for letting--"

"Suga, even if you hadn't let Hinata go on his own, that brute still would've been alive and still would've found Yaku." Kuroo cut in. "So Kunimi needs to explain why he didn't--"

"He's rarely gone on one of these jobs before, you know that yet you both pushed him to anyway."

"Because the kid needs to do more than just sit in a god damn tree every day!" Kuroo's voice rose in volume a little bit and made Suga flinch slightly before he recovered himself, not pulling any punches in his reply.

"I thought you said this place was a sanctuary for kids like him, so why does he 'need' to do anything more than what he's doing?"

Kuroo opened his mouth to argue back when Daichi cleared his throat loudly, silencing both males. "Arguing now isn't going to help anyone." He stated, glancing at both of them. "There's a bigger problem here than Kunimi's - completely understandable - fuck up."

"The mercenaries." Kuroo breathed, running a hand through his hair. "It's that group from before isn't it?"

"Going by Akaashi's gut feeling, yeah." Daichi replied. "The fact they kept calling you out by name isn't good."

Suga worried his lip between his teeth as he debated leaving to start breakfast, though sleep should've been the priority right then and there, his mind was far too active to consider resting. The two guild leaders continued to debate why the mercenary group was calling Kuroo out by name, whether it was who they thought it was, what this could mean for the guild in general. It felt like an age before Daichi finally yawned and told Kuroo to go and get some rest, that they could finish sorting out the mess later.

Silence remained between the two of them once Kuroo left, exhaustion tugging at both of them but neither really wanting to rest. A gentle hand covered Suga's, callused fingers running over his knuckles in a soothing gesture to try and ease the other's restlessness. Suga smiled slightly, glancing up at the calm brown eyes that regarded him, often they didn't need to speak to understand each other. Shuffling into the larger male's hold, Suga let out a small sigh. Daichi ran a hand through his silver locks and hummed softly, coaxing the other to relax against him.

"How do you think Hinata will handle all this?" Suga whispered, feeling more at ease but still over-thinking everything. "I had assured him he wouldn't have to kill anyone yet..."

"Do you want to talk to him or should I?"

Suga shook his head. "No amount of talking can really help ease the nightmares, Keiji can testify to that."

"Well, maybe Kenma can make up some sort of potion to help him." Daichi hummed. "But for now, _you_ need rest."

"I'm fine." Suga lied, his body was aching from the ordeal and even thinking about moving was making his head hurt.

Daichi chuckled. "Koushi come on, I'm sure the guild can take care of itself for a few hours whilst you rest."

"Leaving Bokuto in charge? Are you mad?" Suga smiled, letting the other lay them both down on the bed of furs, deft fingers cupped Daichi's face as the guild leader raised an eyebrow in response.

"You're resting here, that's an order, Sugawara." He hummed, wrapping a strong arm around Suga's waist and loosely pinning him to the bed. "Are you going to defy an order?"

Suga hummed, trailing fingers up the toned bicep marked with battle wounds that was laying across his stomach. "Not today." They shared a tired smile before Daichi gently nuzzled Suga's neck, the final interaction either of them would recall before falling asleep.

 

* * *

 

 

Akaashi hadn't said anything since returning, Bokuto had asked him what happened but he declined to answer. Such behaviour was normal for him but that didn't stop the other trying to investigate further as he went through the ritual of setting his weapons in their respective places in the armoury.

"So were there more henchmen than Kuroo thought?" Bokuto asked, the latest in his string of questions, Akaashi hadn't answered a single one of them yet. "Did you all get jumped?"

The silence was only broken by the sound of leather buckles coming loose and allowing the blood-stained whip to fall from Akaashi's waist and land on the stone floor with a clatter. The younger male still remained unresponsive as he set the weapon on one of the tables, his dagger following it, and let his fingers linger on one of the sharpened edges, blood still staining the steel.

"Keiji?" Bokuto's voice had changed slightly, concern clear in his tone as a heavy hand fell on Akaashi's shoulder, startling the other from his thoughts.

"What?" He replied.

"You've been silent for the past...I dunno how long. What happened?" Owlish eyes regarded him with curiosity and concern. "Was it that bad?"

"Yaku nearly died." Akaashi stated, inwardly flinching at the memory replaying. "Sawamura got beaten around pretty bad too, Hinata had to..." He trailed off, folding his arms across his chest as he sighed. "he had to burn someone alive to save Yaku. It...it wasn't pretty."

Bokuto nodded slowly, seeming to understand that this job had been a success but at a great mental cost to certain people. Kunimi hadn't even made it inside the guild, stating he wanted to be alone, Kindaichi had followed him under Suga's orders to make sure the other didn't do 'anything stupid', whilst Yaku had immediately gone to sleep. The older male sighed heavily, mimicking Akaashi and folding his arms across his chest as he thought.

"So, what I'm hearing is we need a few kegs of rum for later." Bokuto hummed, being completely serious in his statement and Akaashi knew it.

"If you think that'll help..."

"Getting everyone a little merry wouldn't hurt, would it? It might help ease some tension, it worked last time."

Akaashi nodded. "Fine, well I think the guild will be quiet today either way, so as long as the horses are tended to then I guess you can go crazy."

It succeeded in getting Bokuto to leave him alone, he valued the other as a close friend but in that moment he didn't want to bring anyone else down with his thoughts. He lingered awhile in the armoury as Bokuto left to carry out his plan, the halls of the guild were silent, the voices of Kuroo and Daichi had died down so he assumed they were all sleeping now, Hinata was with Kenma and now the only wide-awake person had just left.

He allowed his thoughts to replay the night he had just lived; the stench of smoke and blood as clear to him now as it was then, his fingers twitched as he leaned back against the table and stared at the ceiling, reliving each slash of his blades, each kill he performed, each life he stole. He wasn't usually too bothered, especially when dealing with mercenaries, but knowing how the night had played out made his stomach turn. Hinata shouldn't have had to go through what he did, he shouldn't have had to witness a kill, let alone perform one himself.

"Keiji." A calm voice called him from his thoughts, he glanced over to the doorway, hastily wiping his eyes only now noticing how misty they had gotten.

"Tetsurou." He replied, voice weaker than he would've liked.

The older male offered a half-smile as he approached, reaching up and gently caressing his cheek once close enough. "Is it a stupid question to ask how you're faring?"

Akaashi shrugged. "Same old shit, different day."

Kuroo shook his head. "No it's not. Tonight was a bad night for all of us, don't try to brush it off like 'the usual'. Talk to me Keiji, please."

Silence hung in the air for a few moments, Akaashi let his eyes meet Kuroo's, feeling his own tearing up again as he saw the concern in the other's gaze. It seemed that words were unnecessary as he stepped forward and buried his face in the other's chest, he didn't feel like crying but the tears fell all the same. Strong arms wrapped around him gently, pulling him closer and showing no sign of letting go.

"It's okay." Kuroo whispered, pressing his lips to Akaashi's cheek. "Let it out, you're allowed to express pain too."

Akaashi nodded, allowing himself to surrender to the pent up emotions. His hands clutched Kuroo's shirt, refusing to let go as he trembled slightly in the other's hold. There were a lot of different thoughts rushing through him as he cried; guilt over letting Kunimi go alone, regret that he didn't pick that hallway instead of the younger male, anger that he wasn't able to help Yaku himself and had to put Hinata in a cruel situation. He wasn't sure what was making him sob the most.

When he paused in his sobbing and pulled away enough to meet Kuroo's gaze, he hiccupped slightly. Kuroo let out a small sigh before swiftly picking the other up bridal style, Akaashi didn't complain, simply burying his face in Kuroo's shoulder again as he was carried into the general quarters. Yaku was fast asleep in the bed furthest from the steps so Kuroo carefully placed Akaashi in the bed in the darkened corner, not giving him a chance to protest at being apart as he quickly lay down next to him.

"You need sleep Keiji." He whispered. "You're overtired."

A trembling hand reached out and gripped Kuroo's tunic, fear apparent in coal-like eyes as Akaashi said nothing. Kuroo nodded, understanding as he covered Akaashi's hand with his own, gently taking it and bringing it to his lips.

"I know, but I'll be here. You're safe remember." He assured the other. "They're just dreams."

"They feel so real...like I'm there all over again." Akaashi breathed, slowly letting his tense body relax. "It was so long ago."

"Just try to sleep, I'll be here the entire time. If you wake up and I'm asleep, then feel free to slap me awake."

A weak laugh left the other, the briefest of smiles on his otherwise anxious face made Kuroo lean closer and press his forehead against the other's. It was far from a cure, but the gesture did seem to help soothe the younger male.

"You'll be here?" Akaashi repeated, blinking slowly.

"Of course, I promise." Kuroo nodded. "Now sleep Keiji."

 

* * *

 

 

Hinata woke up in a  pile of blankets, it was a little on the warm side but he didn't mind it too much as he heard Kenma's shallow breathing. Without windows in the room, it was impossible to tell if it was morning or night, the guild's hallways were quiet but that could mean anything was happening. He didn't _mean_ to wake Kenma up, but the slight movement was enough to stir the other.

"Shoyo." Kenma uttered. "Are you okay?"

"Hm? Yeah..." Hinata replied quietly, he felt hungry in all honesty but there wasn't anything to suggest food was available right then.

Kenma yawned, evidently still tired as he rubbed his eyes. "It's too quiet...Bokuto-san is probably up to something."

The remark made Hinata giggle, the fact that Kenma was instantly suspicious of the silence beyond the door was something he couldn't help but laugh at, the faintest of smiles crossed the older male's face as he sluggishly shuffled out of the blanket pile. He watched as Kenma opened the door cautiously, poking his head out into the dark hallway and looking around. Without warning, a door slammed and startled the light haired male, reminding Hinata of a cat in that moment. Bokuto's voice greeted Kenma at its usual volume before remembering to keep it down slightly, it prompted Hinata to investigate for himself, peering out of the room and noticing the kegs stacked against the opposite wall.

"Is that..." He murmured.

"Rum?" Bokuto grinned. "Yep, it's almost tradition after a job to have a night in, few tankards and some good food around the fire-pit." Bokuto looked rather pleased with himself as Kenma scoffed.

"Don't feel as if you have to drink Shoyo." He added. "But it is nice to just...be at peace with the rest of the guild."

"That's the spirit Kenma!" Bokuto declared, reaching out and ruffling the other's hair. "Anyway, I need to move these into the main room, and I think everyone else is still asleep..."

"Do you want help?" Hinata asked, itching to do something other than remembering the previous night.

Bokuto and Kenma exchanged a glance before Bokuto burst into a fit of laughter. "Yeah sure, let’s see how strong you are then."

Watching the smaller male trying to lift a full keg of rum was an entertaining show for Bokuto who could lift two at once. Transporting all the kegs didn't take too long once Hinata gave up after the first, Bokuto made quick work of it and even went to fetch the tankards. Yaku appeared after a while, bruises clear on his neck from the brute's hand, but seemingly unbothered. There was no sign of any of the others as time passed, they sat in quiet conversation for most of the afternoon, Bokuto keeping Hinata from asking too many questions by regaling him in tales of adventures the guild has had.

"...wait so where are Kunimi and Kindaichi?" Hinata asked after Yaku revealed Kuroo and Akaashi were asleep together and no-one else was in the room when he left.

"Hm?" Bokuto raised an eyebrow. "Oh well...Kunimi--"

"Akira deals with his emotions in solitude." Yaku cut in. "Kindaichi has known him longest, longer than I have, so he sticks by him."

Hinata nodded, not really knowing what to think of Yaku in all honesty as he had hardly spoken to the other. "Will he...will he be mad at me?"

Yaku shot him a glance, it was unreadable much like Kenma's. "Well, it's not _you_ that's the problem, it's more...his past."

"Oh..." Hinata uttered, avoiding everyone else's gaze in that moment. "Uhm..."

"Don't take it personally." Kenma's quiet voice was barely audible over the sound of the dry logs popping in the fire-pit. "I get the same reaction from him."

"Huh? You?" Hinata wasn't expecting Kenma to admit to having the same treatment.

Kenma nodded. "He tends to avoid me at all costs, and I avoid him if I can help it."

"You avoid everyone though." Bokuto hummed in amusement, it succeeded in making them all laugh slightly.

 Yaku shook his head slightly as he rubbed at the bruises on his neck, Hinata let a pang of guilt as he watched the mundane action, he desperately wanted to apologise, to make things right but he didn't know _how_. The older male caught Hinata staring at his neck, knowing full well what was probably eating at the other and offering a small smile. With Kenma refusing going into further detail, Yaku decided to change the topic slightly.

"So, how are you coping?" He asked, directing the question squarely at Hinata. "regarding last night."

"I..." Hinata's words died in his mouth, eyes fixating on the shadows of the other's neck. "I'm...I'm sorry."

"Hm?" Yaku raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

Bokuto reached out and ruffled Hinata's hair. "It's okay dude, you don't need to--"

"I'm sorry for messing up!" Hinata blurted out, eyes wide as Yaku fought back a laugh.

"Relax, the important thing is that we're all still alive." Yaku sighed. "I've had worse injuries, it's part of the job remember? No-one, and I mean _no-one_ needs to be blamed for anything."

Bokuto nodded, shooting Hinata an encouraging smile. "Besides, we've all fucked up on jobs before. Even the likes of Suga and Daichi have nearly gotten themselves or others killed, it's part of the learning process okay? Don't beat yourself up about it."

Those words did little to comfort Hinata then and there, but he took them on board nonetheless.

 

* * *

 

 

The harsh morning sunlight bathed the lake, water lapped at the shoreline, cool to the touch of the stoic male sat on the pebbles. Fingers dipped into the water, turning it rust coloured as the evidence of the night was washed away. Kindaichi watched from a few paces away, not quite knowing how to approach the other in light of the events only a few hours prior. They remained in silence for what felt like an eternity, Kunimi's eyes focused on the shifting waters as he rested his chin on his knees. He hadn't even cleaned his weapons yet as he simply sat down on the shoreline and stared at the snow-capped mountains in the distance.

"...is it my fault?" Kunimi uttered, spooking Kindaichi slightly as he stayed perfectly still, the only hint of movement was the subtle tilt of his head so he could side glance at the other.

"No? It's no-one's 'fault' Akira." Kindaichi replied, taking it as his cue to sit next to his best friend. "Shit like this has happened before, remember?"

Kunimi hummed. "But that only resulted in a small injury or two, this time that stupid kid had to burn someone alive." He sighed. "Stupid mages...so troublesome."

Kindaichi gently set his hand on Kunimi's shoulder, when the other didn't flinch away he proceeded to wrap his arm around the smaller male and gently tug him closer. Kunimi relented and let himself rest against the firm chest, eyes still trained on the ripples spreading out across the lake from a bird landing on the surface.

"I knew I should've killed him when I saw him."

"No, no you shouldn't have," Kindaichi replied, "you're not that cold blooded. I know you're not."

Kunimi snorted, shaking his head slightly as he remained otherwise still. "Why are we still with these guys Yuutarou? We're not gaining anything by staying here."

There was a pause where Kindaichi didn't reply, in truth he didn't know why they chose to remain with the guild, they had only joined in the first place to escape those wanting to harm Kunimi. Somewhere along the lines however, they had grown accustomed to life with the rowdy males, though in the back of his mind he knew Kunimi was unlikely to feel like he truly belonged.

"Where else would we go?" He replied eventually.

"Home. We go home."

"Akira..."

Kunimi pulled away and stood up abruptly, he took a step into the cool water, not seeming to care that his boots were getting waterlogged as he sighed heavily, gaze fixed again on the distant mountains. "I want to go _home_."

"You know we can't...not after how we left." Kindaichi hated reminding the other of it, but every time he bought up going home he had to be reminded of why they left in the first place. "You know they'll kill you the moment they see you."

"I was just a kid...how can they still think..." Kunimi breathed, raking his fingers through his hair and tugging it loose from his ponytail. The other watched as he sighed again, stepping back out of the water and meeting Kindaichi's gaze. "You're right."

"Hmm. I wish I wasn't y'know..." Kindaichi tried to lessen the blow with a smile. "One day maybe we can, but not whilst their memories are still...well y'know."

There was a grunt from the other, acknowledgement but not agreement as Kunimi registered the smile but didn't make an effort to return it. The birdsong from the forest filled the silence as he mulled over their options in his mind, mainly how he was likely to be received when they returned to the guild. There was no doubt in his mind that he'd be chewed out for his actions, questioned by Kuroo probably and possibly even asked to apologise to Hinata. None of those things were particularly appealing.

A vaguely familiar voice disrupted his thoughts, Kindaichi's brow furrowed as he too looked towards the direction of the voice; further along the shoreline towards the northern mountains a leather armour-clad male was waving to them, a large sword strapped to his back with leather bindings, wolf furs adorned his shoulders and the faint clinking of iron fittings could be heard as he walked over the pebbles towards them. Faint blue war paint was smudged across his face but that didn't seem to faze him as he ran a hand over his shaved head and grinned at them.

"Well ain't you two looking sorry for yourselves." He remarked once he got close enough to confirm they were who he thought they were.

"You're back late." Kindaichi replied, folding his arms across his chest. "Where's Nishinoya?"

"Oh, no 'Tanaka-senpai how was your trip?' or anything?" The other pouted, mirroring Kindaichi's actions before chuckling. "Yuu isn't that far away, I uh, need to talk to Daichi and Kuroo before he arrives..."

"Why?" Kunimi chipped in, the duo never really parted company from each other for no good reason so this declaration sent an uneasy feeling through him. "Besides, everyone's still recovering."

Kindaichi made a motion for Tanaka to stop talking but it was flatly ignored.

"Recovering? What happened?"

"Go ask them yourself." Kunimi stated. "Not like you'd believe my word over theirs anyway."

The older male hummed, glancing up at the sky before sitting down on the pebbles with a determined look on his face. "Try me."

 

* * *

 

 

There was a familiar sense of ease in Akaashi as the clinking of tankards and the loud conversation filled the air, Bokuto had gone through with his plan to get several kegs of rum to try and ease the tensions in the guild and so far it was paying off quite well. There was almost no trace of the disastrous night from before as the fire roared in the pit, roasting what little meat they had in reserves. Hinata had perked up once Kuroo and Bokuto started telling stories of jobs gone by, Suga and Yaku would interrupt to correct them or point out how they were clearly embellishing the story for dramatic sake, Kenma simply observed the exchange from beside Hinata and would make the odd murmured comment to the other whilst the older males argued about one particular point in a story.

Akaashi, for the most part, didn't say anything, likewise Daichi was quiet. They were the ones who typically didn't drink too much on nights like this, someone had to remain sober in case something happened and more often than not, it fell to them. They didn't mind too much, Daichi enjoyed seeing the usually focused members like Yaku letting loose a little, he wished Akaashi would take an evening out in the same manner but he respected that not all of them were wired the same way.

Mages getting drunk was a recipe for disaster if he ever heard of one.

"Daichi?" A soft voice called the leader from his thoughts. He blinked a few times before focusing his gaze on Suga's warm smile, cheeks a little redder than usual thanks to the rum and the firelight. "You zoned out on us."

"Sorry." He returned the smile. "Just thinking about stuff y'know?"

"That's your issue," Kuroo stated with a sly smile. "you need to stop thinking for once."

The others laughed, Daichi rolled his eyes and dismissed Kuroo's light jab with a light chuckle. The evening wore on, the rum continued pouring and the food was eaten, though there were two absences that had been noted, Akaashi had been debating going and looking for them but was unsure whether it would be a good idea. He was about to ask Daichi if he should go when a loud knock at the door startled them, most guild members used the stables entrance so the front entrance was hardly used anymore. Suga rose to his feet and padded over, opening the door slowly at first before he saw who it was.

"Welcome home." He greeted.

"It's good to be home." Tanaka grinned, pulling the older male into a bear hug briefly before proceeding into the room, Kunimi and Kindaichi following close behind.

"You took your time coming home." Yaku remarked as the other set his travel pack down and accepted a tankard of rum from Bokuto.

"Well y'know, bandits, wolves, the occasional tavern girl...I got distracted." Tanaka shrugged, his grin growing as his nodded in greeting to everyone. When his eyes met Hinata's, he paused for a moment. "Ah, so you're the mage hm?"

"Eh?" Hinata's eyes widened as he found himself being looked up and down by a much larger male than him, the sword still strapped to his back looked much more menacing than the one Daichi used, the war paint smeared across his features made his eyes stand out all the more as he seemed to wait for an answer. "Uh--I am?"

"Ah, yeah." Tanaka seemed to remember something, breaking his eye contact with Hinata and looking towards Suga and Daichi. "I found those two by the lake and heard about your latest...uh job. Sounds pretty rough."

Daichi didn't miss a beat as he nodded. "Yeah, we've had worse though. Anyway...where's Nishinoya?"

Tanaka chuckled, taking a long drink from his tankard. "Oh ah, funny story, you're gonna love this--" pausing to take another drink.

"Tanaka, quit stalling and get on with it." Suga interjected.

"Well you see...I mean it's a really funny story Daichi, I know Yuu would kill me if I left out any details--"

" _Tanaka_."

The sell-sword finished his drink. "Okay I'll get to the point, he found a dragon."

"So?" Yaku snorted, Kuroo seemed intrigued but equally as underwhelmed.

"A _talking_ dragon."

There was a pause, Daichi and Akaashi exchanged a look as if to confirm they both heard the same thing, Suga opened his mouth to say something but then decided against it, Kuroo remained silent as Bokuto raised an eyebrow.

"A talking dragon? Is that special?" Hinata asked, he had only seen a dragon once in his life as it flew close to his village once, he didn't know much about them other than they occasionally killed the goats on the mountainside.

Kenma let out a small sigh. "Dragons themselves are not abnormal, their scales and skin are highly sought for armour though so they tend to only reside in harsh climates and difficult terrain." He explained as the older males seemed torn between asking for more information from Tanaka and wanting nothing to do with it. "However, talking dragons are another matter."

"Typically, magic is involved, and not _good_ magic." Kuroo added.

"Magic is neither good or bad." Akaashi quickly stated. "The way it's _used_ is the difference."

"Regardless, a talking dragon?" Daichi repeated, giving Tanaka a long hard look. "Are you sure?"

"Heard it speak with my own ears Daichi." Tanaka shrugged. "Yuu is with it still, he said he'd give me two days to get here and give you all the heads up before he brings it to you."

"And what the hell are we supposed to do with a talking dragon?" Yaku asked.

"Cure it, _duh_."

 


	7. Interrogations

Chapter Seven

Interrogations

 

Kenma hummed softly to himself, the candlelight not illuminating much of the bookcase in front of him but enough to find what he was looking for. The book weighed heavy in his hand, yellowed pages bound and protected in ageing leather, the odd scorch mark blemishing them. He set the candle down on the table, the book alongside it and flipped open the cover.

"I've never heard of a dragon that can naturally talk, but that doesn't mean they don't exist." He murmured to the only other male in the room, Hinata nodded, eyes watching the pages turn with the older male's fingers.

"Do you think he's lying?"

"Tanaka? No. He may embellish stories to sweet talk tavern-girls but he wouldn't lie outright to Daichi and Kuro like that, he prefers to stay living."

"So do they believe him?" Hinata asked, Daichi had asked Tanaka to explain himself further in his quarters, asking Kuroo, Suga and Akaashi to join them so they could be more direct with their questions. It was going to be a very informal interrogation, if that, but one that the guild leaders preferred to happen behind closed doors.

Kenma paused, reading the description of one species of dragon Hinata didn't even want to try and pronounce the name of. "I believe they'll be open-minded, but realistic. Tanaka and Nishinoya have travelled to some of the most remote areas of this realm and the neighbouring lands, they've seen a lot of things that don't make sense to the rest of us, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. Daichi respects that the stories they tell are built on truth and fact, not legends. If they say it happened, then chances are it really did happen and saying otherwise is to insult their very characters."

"Huh..." Hinata hummed as Kenma's attention went back to the book in front of him. It was getting late into the night but he wanted to hear what the guild leaders thought of Tanaka's news, he also wanted to talk to the sellsword himself and ask about Nishinoya before the other mage arrived.

However, the discussions in the leader's quarters were nowhere near finished, Kuroo hummed as he sat on the bed and read over the scribbled notes that bore Nishinoya's travel journal, Akaashi reading over his shoulder as Daichi and Suga continued to ask Tanaka about what they plan to do with this dragon. So far they had established that they found it in a cave east of Tanishiti, the capitol city, it was bigger than a horse and neither of the males had seen it breathe fire yet.

"Okay, so when did it start talking?" Suga asked, still reasonably awake unlike Daichi who was starting to get tired of talking.

"Uhm." Tanaka rubbed his chin, the weeks of being on the road had meant he was sporting some new bruises as well at stubble on his face which he now seemed to have a habit of running his fingertips over. "I guess when Yuu told me to put my sword down because it wasn't attacking us."

Suga raised an eyebrow. "And why did he say that?"

"Well, it wasn't. We walked into this cave to make camp for the night and it was there curled up but awake." Tanaka replied, pacing the room slightly as he spoke. "I drew my sword immediately but it didn't move, it just...looked at me, not like it was gonna eat me but more like...pleading me not to hurt it? I dunno Suga, it was weird."

"So then it spoke?" Akaashi cut in, having finished reading Nishinoya's childlike handwriting and making his own assumptions on what happened next. "Did it thank you for not killing it?"

"Kinda yeah." Tanaka shrugged. "It just kinda...said...thanks."

Kuroo hummed, not quite following. He set the notes down before standing up and crossing his arms over his chest. "So it merely said 'thanks' and you both accepted it was perfectly normal?"

"No? I'm simplifying the story, cutting out unnecessary crap y'know?" The other replied, puffing out his own chest a little as his voice rose. "Of course we were freaked out, Yuu nearly fried it on impulse and I actually half withdrew my sword before thinking again. Like, it's hard to explain but when it speaks you just kinda...feel calmer."

"Well that's all I need to hear." Kuroo grunted. "It's a death-trap waiting to happen."

"No, it's not!"

"Tell me that doesn't sound at least a little bit off to you guys." He asked the other three who were remaining silent. "Something isn't right about this, and it's not even the fact it can _talk_ , but the fact you feel more at ease around it _because_ of it?"

"He has a point..." Suga sighed, offering a weak smile in return. "Tanaka, are you sure it’s safe to be around? Are you sure there's nothing else at play here? It wouldn't be the first time a mage used a dragon for ill-will..."

"I am. I'm sure." Tanaka replied quickly. "We've spent two weeks with it and seen no sign of it wanting to hurt us, it...it wants us to help it."

Daichi was listening, he would much rather be asleep but this matter was more pressing than rest. He had known Tanaka and Nishinoya almost as long as he had known Kuroo, he trusted them not to involve the guild in anything beyond what they could handle, however this was a tall order even for him. He cleared his throat, summoning everyone's attention, before speaking;

"Okay, is Nishinoya bringing the dragon here specifically or somewhere nearby? I don't think we can house a dragon inside the stables."

"He said he'll bring it to the lakeside tomorrow night, y'know one of the old smuggling coves you used to use."

"We'll meet there at sunset, prepare a small signal fire." Daichi continued. "I'm trusting you here, you know that right?"

"Of course." Tanaka nodded. "We both know that, which is why I arrived ahead of Yuu, he didn't wanna spring this on you without warning."

Suga's warm smile put the sellsword at ease, Akaashi nodded in approval before murmuring that he needed rest, the light nudge to Kuroo's ribs as he left went unnoticed by most of them. Kuroo said nothing as he left, following the smaller male out of the room and closing the door softly behind him.

"Go get some rest Ryuu." Suga stated. "I need to make sure our rookie is actually asleep before I turn in too."

"What's he like?" Tanaka asked as he let the other heard him out of the room.

"Impulsive, spirited and a little too much like Nishinoya for my liking." Suga joked, shaking his head as he closed the door behind him and started towards the hallway. "Seriously though, he's a fire mage who's already had to kill someone."

"I heard."

"I don't know what Kunimi told you, but no-one holds him responsible for what happened. It was a bad situation that got made worse by hysteria over Yaku nearly being choked to death." Suga's tone dropped, the warm smile wavering as they continued walking.

Tanaka hummed, following the other to Kenma's room, a lone candle burned on the table just giving off enough light for Suga to see both males wrapped up in the pile of blankets. It gained a small hum of amusement from both older males before the door was closed again.

"He's taken to Kenma quite easily, it's nice to see really." Suga explained in a whisper as they walked back towards Daichi's room.

"Yeah, Kenma's always been reclusive right?"

"It's partly because Kunimi hates mages, I think Hinata just finds Kenma easier to talk to about anything."

"Does he know...about Kenma--"

"No." Suga interrupted. "And we're keeping it that way. I...we don't think it's wise to tell him yet."

"But I'm guessing he knows about Akaashi?"

"He used his powers yeah, but I don't think Hinata connected all the dots yet. Let him find out in due course." Suga shrugged. "But in the meantime, you need rest, as do I."

Tanaka wasn't about to disagree, as much as he loved travelling with his best friend, he did miss the comforts of the guild, mainly the fire and the beds. He gave Suga another bear hug for good measure before making his way down to the general quarters, the rest of the males were fast asleep save for Akaashi who had only just taken his shirt off, they exchanged a nod in greeting before Tanaka set about finally taking off his sword and layers of leather and furs. It felt odd to finally be in a truly safe place, not having to have his sword right next to him - though that didn't stop him laying it right under his chosen bed - not having to be on alert in case of wolves or bandits attacking as he slept, the threat of getting rained or hailed on was completely gone and instead replaced by a warmth and soft furs to lay his tired head. He couldn't help but feel a slight pang of guilt, for whilst he was home warm and dry, Nishinoya was still out there in the wilds of the realm with a dragon that by all accounts seemed harmless, but Kuroo's remarks had planted the idea firmly in his head that all was not what it seemed.

 

* * *

 

 

There was a brisk breeze as the sun started dipping in the sky, the day had been a blur of activity in the guild; Suga had taken Tanaka out hunting for game in a vague attempt to interrogate him further about this dragon, Bokuto had focused on sharpening the daggers Akaashi had wielded during their last job whilst occasionally messing around with Kuroo in the armoury, Yaku had taken up the sentry position and demanded Kunimi took a day off to relax with Kindaichi, Hinata had found out how extensive Kenma's personal library was and decided to read every single book he could find on both wielding magic and dragons.

All in all, it had been an uneventful day, and for that Daichi was thankful. The guild leader had spent most of his day alone once breakfast had been taken care of, he reread Nishinoya's journal several times and even took a small trip to Kenma's room to acquire on old text that he thought might be useful. He had found Hinata surrounded by open books and fully engrossed in one on the subject of runestones, the red gem in his hand as he studied the aged pages, the scene reminded him of a distant memory, the boy alone in the library eager to learn everything he could, hoping that one day he could put the knowledge to use somehow. Kenma's passive gaze gave away nothing as the guild leader dwelled in the room longer than he needed, simply watching Hinata's focus before leaving without another word.

One thing was clear to Daichi, a talking dragon could only spell trouble for the guild. Sure the dragon itself may be safe - though he had his doubts - but if anyone outside of the guild heard about it then who knew what would happen. First the hunters would come in search for the hide and scales, expensive items on every market both common and underground, scholars would do some crazy things to study such a specimen, insane mages would kill to get their hands on a killing machine, the royal household would definitely take an interest too. There were too many groups of people who'd do a lot to get to the dragon, and it wasn't as if they could hide it very well in their guild, some days they were pushing it as it was.

Regardless, he asked Kuroo, Suga and Bokuto to accompany him and Tanaka to the cove to meet Nishinoya and the dragon. Yaku would stay close by to make sure they didn't get snuck up on by bandits and Akaashi would remain at the guild to watch over the others. They started a small fire on the pebbled shore of the lake, sheltered from the wind by a crumbling cliff wall, and watched the sun set slowly. Bokuto and Kuroo kept the mood light by skipping stones on the water and getting way too competitive about it as Suga kept a careful watch on the dry driftwood as flames took hold and smoke rose high into the sky.

"So what do you think?" Daichi asked, catching the silver-haired male off guard.

"About?" Suga replied, pausing in his poking of the embers.

"This dragon, do you think it's really as safe as they claim?"

Suga hummed, shrugging slightly as he went back to tending the flames. "Possibly, how much do you trust Nishinoya?" He smiled coyly.

Daichi chuckled slightly, watching Kuroo nearly overbalance and fall into the lake. In all seriousness, Daichi trusted that Nishinoya wouldn't do anything that would endanger the guild, he knew as much as anyone how easy it would be to ruin everything the guild was. As the light faded, Tanaka became a little restless, knowing exactly where his best friend was hiding out and how long it would take to arrive, he had joined in on Kuroo and Bokuto's stone skipping to pass the time but it was obvious to them how nervous he was about all this.

"So it's bigger than a horse?" Suga asked, trying to keep conversation light.

"Yeah," Tanaka replied, kicking at a loose pebble amongst the many on the beach. "has pretty big wings too."

"What does it eat?" Bokuto asked. "Meat?"

Tanaka nodded his head. "We watched it hunt wild boar, though it has eaten fish we offered it. Seems like it doesn't really care about what it eats."

A gentle breeze caught Tanaka's attention, it had come from a different direction to that what the wind was blowing, he turned and glanced up at the cliffs, the silhouette of a winged creature caught his eye. Suga and Bokuto followed his gaze, noting the creature slowly extend long wings before hind legs jolting caused it to spring forwards. A more powerful gust of wind rushed by, the sound of shifting leather accompanying it as the creature took flight in the dusk-light. As they watched it glide over the lake, Tanaka let out a small yelp of excitement, all his previous nerves melting away as it approached the cove. The others could see its features more clearly as it slowed before landing on the shifting pebbles with a small clatter of talons against the stone; dark scales shimmered slightly in the dancing firelight, yellow hue to the beady black eyes, large wings folding in against the horse-like body and clawed feet scraping against rocks. The head reminded Daichi of a large serpent he once faced in a cave whilst seeking out a specific plant for an alchemist; a narrow snout with small slits for a nose, the frighteningly sharp teeth hidden away until beast opened its jaws, two long horns stemmed from the head and mimicked antlers of a stag in the manner of which they grew back.

Whilst the beast looked intimidating, there was an aura of grace about it as it remained stood where it landed, long scaled tail curling around its front legs and stilling. A small snort left it as Tanaka approached and patted the thick neck of the creature, eyes scanning over the other four males present.

"So...where's Yuu?" Tanaka asked, the question directed at the beast.

Before beast answered, a loud crash distracted everyone, the short male that had landed on the rocks let out a laugh as he dispelled the lightning sparks from his hands and dusted himself off. Suga was caught slightly off guard as he found himself being hugged by the energetic other but quickly regained his composure and ruffled the stuck up hair endearingly.

"Found him." Kuroo remarked, folding his arms across his chest as he stood next to Daichi. Nishinoya released Suga and cleared his throat, dusting his leather bindings off and clapping his hands together; palms bound in etched, leather fingerless gloves that featured glowing symbols every-time he cast a spell.

"Sup, how's everyone been doing?" He asked, a wide grin on his face as he nodded towards the two guild leaders.

Kuroo snorted as he held in a laugh, leaving Daichi to respond. "Eh, a few near-death experiences, the occasional blizzard, Akaashi cross-dressing for a job, a new recruit, being told you found a talking dragon and want us to 'cure' it. The usual." Daichi shrugged, succeeding in making Bokuto break down in uncontrollable laughter.

"Oh new recruit?" Nishinoya repeated, making his way over to the dragon that hadn't moved much since arriving, the occasional flick of a tail or shift of wings were the only noticeable movements, though Bokuto had been observant enough to note how the eyes followed the flow of conversation.

"Yeah, he's a fire mage." Tanaka replied, hand still resting on the neck of the beast. "Short like you."

"Huh, well I'm sure he'll be fun to meet. But back to more important matters." Nishinoya's joking nature had dropped as he patted the dragon's muzzle. "The dragon."

Daichi nodded, sitting down next to the fire, the other three taking the hint and following suit as Tanaka exchanged a glance with Nishinoya. There were a few moments of silence before the guild leader spoke;

"So, start from the beginning."

Nishinoya nodded. "Okay so we were two days ride east of Tanishiti, we'd spent like three weeks in the capital trading supplies and looking for another job to do before we came home." He explained, stepping away from the dragon to talk directly to the older males. "We heard of a cave system that spread into the mountains and there was some local village legend that it contained some old documents and treasure, usual stuff right?"

"Except there was a catch, this treasure was guarded by 'a beast'," Tanaka added. "And to get the treasure we have to slay this beast."

"Yeah, well we thought it was probably gonna be a giant spider or something, we'd come across a few in the forest before so we thought we'd check it out for the fun." Nishinoya continued. "Well we didn't find the cave system by sundown so we started looking for a place to camp for the night, the forests out there aren't exactly the safest so we opted to find a small ledge or something just for that night. After a bit of searching we found a small alcove that went quite far back, and us being us we decided to check it out."

"And then we found it, rounded a corner and there it was; curled up but awake. We both went into combat mode and nearly lay siege to it y'know." Tanaka's usual embellished story-telling wasn't evident as he stroked the dragon's head, almost as if it was a horse. "But as I said already, we paused when it didn't lash out at us."

Nishinoya nodded in agreement. "I looked it in the eyes, I didn't see any sign of it wanting to hurt us."

The dragon itself didn't make any sound, merely leaning into Tanaka's touch occasionally and shifting its wings a little, Bokuto and Kuroo were very attentive to each movement, whether they trusted the two or not; it was still a dragon and dragons were dangerous.

"When did it started speaking then?" Suga asked, trying to drive the conversation forward before anyone could jump in with accusations.

"Well Yuu and I looked at each other in confusion, we'd never seen a dragon up close without having to avoid getting killed." Tanaka replied. "So we tried to see if it was injured or something, and that's when it spoke, it just breathed out 'thank you' to us.

"I wanna hear it _now_." Kuroo interrupted, getting a slight frown from Suga for his impatience.

Nishinoya turned and looked at the dragon, he seemed reluctant to ask the beast to do Kuroo's bidding but there was little else they could do to earn the guild-leader's trust. "Go on, they won't harm you for it." He assured it as Tanaka nodded in agreement. "They're our friends."

The beast shifted its weight on its powerful legs, tail slithered over pebbles like a serpent as it took a half-step away from Kuroo. There was a pause before it slowly opened its mouth, sharp fang-like teeth were caught in the firelight as it breathed heavily. Kuroo kept his unwavering gaze on the dark eyes that flickered between the older males before settling on him.

"I've heard a great deal about you, Kuroo Tetsurou." An unfamiliar voice stated, it was softer than expected coming from the beast but there was a roughness to it, it was unmistakably feminine though.

Bokuto's eyes widened, speechless for the first time in a long time, Suga did well to mask his shock at the dragon actually 'talking', he wasn't sure if it could be called that as the jaws of the creature did not move as human lips did, it was eerily similar to how Akaashi's mind powers functioned, except this was definitely audible to everyone and not in their heads. Daichi kept a neutral expression, neither shocked or happy, more deep in thought as Kuroo let out a hum.

"Oh yeah?" The leader eventually replied. "Like what?"

Wings extended slightly, almost mimicking how one would stretch their arms, before folding back against the body. "You have a reputation, I know there are people out there who want your blood spilt."

It wasn't a massive surprise to anyone, given the recent events, that there were 'people' out for Kuroo's blood. They were still getting over the fact this dragon was actively speaking to them, there were many questions bubbling in their minds, too many to ask in that moment. Kuroo didn't reply, he nodded and glanced at Daichi as if to say he was now back in charge.

"So, how...uhm...how are you able to talk?" Daichi asked. "Are you...are you really a dragon?"

Eyes shifted to the other guild leader, still no sign of aggression from the beast as it tilted its head slightly. "I am not, not naturally. I have been in this form for several summers."

"So you're human, but you've been turned into a dragon?" Suga supplied, Bokuto was still in a state of speechlessness as Kuroo merely listened to the rest of this exchange.

"That is correct."

"How?" Suga pressed.

The beast was silent, taking another half step back and glancing at Nishinoya. "It was one of his kind that did this to me. I do not harbour bad feelings for his kind, however magic was involved, _bad_ magic."

Daichi put a hand on Suga's shoulder, a silent gesture to indicate he shouldn't press the matter further. "So, how can we help you?"

"I do not strictly need help from all of you, merely him." It replied, gesturing to Nishinoya with a nod of its head. "However he was adamant that I come to you all."

"Noya?" Daichi's attention turned to the mage.

"Well--" He began, steeling himself. "I don't...I can't reverse a curse by myself, especially one I've never heard of." He stated. "I've heard of temporary shape-shifting, but nothing on this size and scale. She hasn't specified exactly what was done, she doesn't remember what happened."

"She." Kuroo uttered, voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, because she's a girl." Nishinoya replied, "Sure she's currently a dragon but she's still--"

"What would you have us call you?" Suga interrupted, he could sense Kuroo wasn't convinced in the slightest and didn't particularly want this to explode into an argument.

"My name...my name is Kiyoko."

Daichi hummed in thought, he didn't particularly want to make a decision in that moment but Kuroo and Suga would expect him to. He wasn't the leader of the guild for nothing, however he felt too ill-informed to properly judge the creature's intentions there and then. He considered what he had been told; the dragon didn't need anyone other than Nishinoya - a very well skilled mage - to reverse or cure the curse, yet Nishinoya was the first to point out he didn't actually know what to do. Kenma was likely to have some old books or texts on the matter of curses, the kid always knew _something_ , that would be the logical place to start, failing that they'd have to seek out a court mage or someone of equal knowledge to that. This is all assuming he can get Kuroo to stop being so hostile, not that the other leader was completely in the wrong of course, this was a dangerous situation to be in and Daichi knew that Kuroo was only trying to protect the guild and those within it.

The silence had gone on long enough. "Okay, well regardless, we don't really have the means to house you at our guild...so you'll have to stay elsewhere." He stated. "And we need to reconvene with the others and see if our alchemist has any knowledge on curses and the like...I'm sure you understand that your presence is posing a risk to us from hunters--"

"I do, I didn't want to involve an entire guild of assassins if I could help it." Kiyoko cut in. "But if you're willing to help, I will forever be in your debt." She took a step back before bending one of her front legs to effectively bow in gratitude to the remaining guild leader. "I will seek refuge in the mountains over the lake, if you require my presence simply light a fire here at dusk and I will arrive."

Kuroo stood up without a word, scoffing slightly under his breath as he started to make his way back to the comfort of home, Bokuto exchanged a glance with Daichi before scampering after him, not wanting to leave the other alone for too long. Suga smiled reassuringly at Kiyoko, nodding in approval as the dragon righted her posture.

"Will you be okay by yourself?" Nishinoya asked. "Ryuu or I can stay with you."

A low rumble came from the creature, almost like a laugh. "I survived several summers alone, I think I can handle a few nights in the mountains again. Thank-you for your concern, however I think your best place right now is with your family, you need to convince Kuroo that this is not some elaborate trap."

With a nod to both of her travelling companions, and another small bow to Daichi and Suga, her wings extended and she glanced around for a decent stretch of beach to take flight from. The fire embers flickered as the gust of wind signalled her departure, Nishinoya watched her dark form fade into the night sky, not saying anything at first as Daichi began putting out the fire until Suga's hand on his head snapped him from his thoughts.

"I knew this wouldn't be easy, but I figured at least Kuroo would hear us out with less hostility."

"Recent events have gotten everyone a bit...tense." Suga replied. "We can talk more back at the guild yeah? I got some fresh meat this morning so we can have that stew you like."

Tanaka grinned as Nishinoya's face lit up, even if the mage wasn't that much younger than Suga, he still had a childish nature about him sometimes. It was something that somewhat eased Suga's fears; that he could still be immature and joke around despite the expectation of his title weighing on his shoulders and that even if he was the one a dragon had confided in to lift a curse no-one had heard of, he was still acting like he was barely fifteen summers old.

 

* * *

 

 

Bokuto caught up with Kuroo amongst the trees that sheltered the guild from the road, Kunimi would easily spot them if he was on sentry duty but as it was dusk, there was no-one to eavesdrop right then. Kuroo tugged his arm away from the other the first time Bokuto caught him, but stopped trying to walk away the second time, pausing in the shadows of the trees in silence.

"Talk to me." Bokuto requested, he never demanded anything from Kuroo, not like this, but he knew there was a reason for him to storm away like that. Whilst Bokuto wasn't exclusively a guild-leader, much like Suga his opinion was valued on big decisions, but he was also vital to getting Kuroo to vent occasionally. He may not understand the other's reasons all the time but getting him to actually voice them was a much needed practice.

"About what?" Kuroo grunted, leaning against a tree and folding his arms across his chest.

"Don't bullshit me bro, everyone can tell you're not happy about this dragon business." Bokuto huffed, hands on his hips as he smiled knowingly, he took conversations like these seriously but that didn't mean he couldn't try to lighten the mood. "So spill it, what's so wrong about helping her?"

Kuroo regarded him with cat-like eyes, dark hair falling in front of one of them as he sucked in a breath through gritted teeth. "I just find it...suspicious that she agreed to meet the rest of us. Noya's intentions are...fine I guess, but I can't shake the feeling that her being around us isn't going to end well."

"Are you referring to hunters and shit? Cause that's hardly her fault dude." Bokuto sighed. "And isn't one of your founding rules of the guild something like 'help the helpless'? What makes her situation different to say...Kunimi? Taking out all the dragon bullshit of course."

"Kunimi got accused of something and felt he had to flee his home. We don't know what happened to her to render her a dragon, _she_ doesn't even remember! How am I meant to just roll over and accept that 'oh it's fine to put everyone else in danger'?" Kuroo snapped. "We tread a fine line as it is with some of these jobs, and heck there is a mercenary group out there _trying to kill me_ Bo."

The other male nodded, taking in Kuroo's outburst at face value but reading between the lines too. "You're scared." He stated, watching the other's eyes widen in partial shock. "You're scared that if her presence attracts hunters, it'll lead that group straight to you."

"I...shut up."

"Tetsu, she isn't going to be _here_. Life will carry on as normal for the time being, Daichi wants to ask Kenma what he knows about curses and the like, if they can't find anything to help her, then she'll _have_ to leave right?"

There was a pause, the wind causing pine needles to whisper slightly as they shifted, a distant wolf howl signalled the night drawing on. Bokuto held Kuroo's gaze as he stepped forward, cautiously offering his hand to the other and drawing him into a half-hug when he took hold of his hand.

"We'll be fine, I know we will be." Bokuto uttered, confidence in his voice putting Kuroo at little more at ease. "Now, what do you say we get back to the guild and finish off that leftover rum with Keiji?"

Kuroo let out a small laugh. "I guess, wouldn't want it going to waste now eh?"


	8. Two of a Kind

Chapter Eight

Two of a Kind

 

Hinata was curious about Nishinoya, he had heard many tales from bards and travelling tradesmen about the famous 'Thunder Mage' but he wasn't sure what to expect when meeting him in person. He figured it was probably due to hearing Nishinoya wasn't that much older than him, or that tall. Yet rather than being underwhelmed at the lack of height, he was more excited to hear how he dealt with people underestimating his abilities.

That being said, his first meeting with the other mage was anything but a normal greeting. He had awoken early, having fallen asleep before the guild leaders returned from their cove meeting, and heard a disturbance in the armoury. Careful not to disturb Kenma, whom he had been sharing a pile of blankets with more and more recently, he slipped out of the room. It was dark as the candles that usually lit the hallway had burnt out overnight and Suga wasn't awake yet to replenish them. He wasn't deterred by this, simply summoning a small wisp of fire to give him some light on the way to the armoury. As he slowly opened the door, he felt the air was charged with something, something not normal. His eyes fell upon the stone floor and how small sparks of lightning shimmered in unfamiliar patterns, some glowing brightly and not moving, others shifting into new sigils. In the middle of the arrangement stood a male, looking not much older than Hinata himself but there was a certain air of experience about him. What stood out most to Hinata was the bright blond section of hair that fell directly between his eyes, it wasn't unnatural per say, more an easily recognisable feature that hadn't ever been spoken about in bard songs.

He watched with bated breath as the male held his hands in front of him, palms facing the floor, he noted the leather fingerless gloves glowing slightly to the same rhythm that the lightning pulsed on the floor. A brief flicker of blue light passed between his palms and the floor, a small static sound accompanying it. Hinata startled slightly, causing the other to glance up at him and dispel all the sigils on the floor.

"Oh? Sorry, I thought I was the only one awake." He rubbed the back of his head. "I'm Noya."

"Hinata."

"You must be the new recruit Daichi mentioned last night, the fire mage?"

Hinata nodded, stepping closer and noting how the air still seemed charged. "Yeah, I...uhm..." He wasn't sure how to tell the other the only reason he was part of the guild was because he had been searching for Nishinoya himself.

"Cool, I'm more of a lightning guy myself. I can summon fire and ice too, just requires more concentration." Nishinoya smiled, wiggling his fingers in a vague gesture. "Got some mean burns before, have you ever seen a flame suddenly turn into lightning? It's not as fun as it sounds."

"Really? I thought most mages specialise in one element?" Hinata's previous nerves melted away as they continued talking about Nishinoya's abilities, he didn't feel like they were leagues apart in skill as the other talked to him like a long-lost friend. He expected Nishinoya to be like the court mages; big-headed and well aware that their power put them above most other mages, yet he was quite the opposite.

"I mean, I specialise in lightning, that's what came naturally to me when I was younger." Nishinoya shrugged. "But it's easy to pick up the basics of the other elements with enough focus and practice, I had a pretty good teacher though in Tanaka's village."

Hinata nodded, fidgeting with his fingers slightly as he itched to show the other his latest trick. "Could you teach me?" He blurted out. The other raised an eyebrow slightly, smiling as he chuckled.

"You want me to teach you other elements?"

"Y-Yes! I mean, if it's not...I've only been taught about fire as that's my speciality, well...the one we know about." Hinata trailed off, not sure what to do with his hands now, settling for clasping them behind his back.

If the last statement puzzled Nishinoya, he didn't let on straight away. He flexed his fingers a little before stepping back and placing his hands on his hips. "Show me what you can do then."

Feeling a little put on the spot, Hinata hesitated, the hesitation quickly turning to determination as he nodded. With a deep breath he held out one hand, fingers outstretched as he focused his sight on the air in front of his palm, the familiar prickling sensation in his fingertips as he continued breathing in slow, deep breaths. Tiny wisps started forming, circling his fingers before beginning to take the form of a dagger hilt. Hinata let out a shorter breath as he envisioned the weapon in his mind, willing the flames to grow and bend into shape. The heat was not a concern to him as he grasped the hilt and held it with a solid grip, the blade almost completely formed by now and the fire coursing through it like blood through his veins.

Nishinoya was impressed, he hadn't expected conjuring weapons to be in the other's repertoire of skills, that being said he was concerned he was overexerting himself. Once the dagger was fully formed, Hinata grinned before wielding it experimentally.

"This is as stable as it’s ever been..." He breathed, clear disbelief in his voice as he looked at Nishinoya. "Usually it dissipates when I grab it."

"That's because I charged the room." Nishinoya replied. "You probably drew on the energy in the air without realising."

"I...can do that?"

"...have you never practiced with another mage?"

"No?" Hinata shrugged, letting go of the flaming dagger and watching it dissipate. "I just got told what to do by my elder, she made me read all these old texts and stuff too."

The older male was a little bit confused, if Hinata had never received proper training from another mage yet could summon a flaming dagger without the aid of conjuration circles or chants, then there was definitely something more to him than Nishinoya thought. Rather than ask more questions, he decided that showing the other some more basic lightning charms would be a better use of their time, at least until he could ask Suga what the deal was.

They sat on the floor of the armoury for a while, Nishinoya patiently talking Hinata through summoning lightning bolts in the palm of his hand. It wasn't the same as summoning wisps of fire, the sparks wouldn't be constantly there like a flame would. They'd crackle into life between his fingers but disappear in a blink of an eye. It was frustrating for Hinata who liked to be able to see what he was conjuring, he could feel the static charge in his fingers but there was little to show for it most of the time. His gaze stayed fixed on his palm that was being supported by Nishinoya's hand, willing the sparks to form.

"It takes time to learn an element different to what you've specialised in." Nishinoya assured him, letting go of Hinata's hand and leaning back with a small sigh. "Don't beat yourself up about it, it'll come to you with time. Oh and if you get static burns then make sure you get them seen to, they can ruin your fingertips."

"...how long do you think it'll take?"

Nishinoya laughed. "Eager aren't you? Well if you practice for a bit every day in a charged room then I guess...a week or two? Just to get the basics anyway, getting to the same level as you're at with your flames will take a while obviously, and you shouldn't rush or cut corners with that."

He wanted to ask more about Hinata's past, how he even ended up at the guild as none of the others had gotten around to telling him yet. Yet he couldn't quite bring himself to ask in that moment, not so early in the day at least. It was pretty obvious that Hinata wanted to talk to him about it, the way he included the statement earlier was the first indication there was more to this boy than just his ability to conjure fire when he wanted.

"Summon just a normal wisp of fire for me." Nishinoya stated.

Hinata complied, not even having to focus much for the flame to take hold. "Why?"

"Let me try something." Nishinoya held his hand above Hinata's, palm facing down so the flame was between them. The engraved sigil on his gloves started glowing in bright blue light as his gaze focused on the fire. Before Hinata could ask, three small lightning bolts sparked into life, striking the centre of his own palm where the flame danced. He felt a sharp sting which caused the fire to intensify slightly, the bolts stayed visible though, connecting their hands as warm static energy flowed between them.

"What...what is this?" Hinata managed to ask as Nishinoya's focused gaze gave way to a grin.

"I had wondered for a while if two mages of different elements could bind together in this fashion." He explained, nodding at the flame mimicking the lightning bolts by stretching up to touch Nishinoya's covered palm. "It's common for mages to confirm deals and agreements in this manner but I'd only ever seen it done with two mages of the same element."

"Oh, I see. I've never heard of it..." Hinata mumbled, fascinated by the way the two elements coexisted in the space between them and now neither him or Nishinoya were in pain at the other element.

"I wouldn't expect you to, it's only really done in trade deals and politics. The royal court mages tend to make a big deal out of it, I just use it when I'm making business arrangements with other mages. It's just a fancy handshake really, but if say a more experienced mage shook an apprentice's hand, the apprentice would experience a little bit of pain because the other's superior skill, it's just a subtle show of dominance."

"...I felt a sharp sting when your lightning hit my hand."

"There you go, it's never enough to actually hurt you though." Nishinoya smiled.

They remained like that for a few moments, Hinata's eyes fixed on the way the sparks danced around the flickering flame. They didn't hear the footsteps up the wooden stairs, only slightly spooking at the door swinging open and Bokuto being startled at the very obvious magic taking place. Hinata thought he'd demand they stopped - remembering what happened last time - but instead he smiled, rubbed his chin in thought and padded over to one of the workbenches. Nishinoya raised an eyebrow, drawing his hand away from Hinata's and disrupting the binding.

"Can I ask you for a favour?" Bokuto broke the silence, picking up an iron breastplate and wiping it with his tunic.

"Depends." Nishinoya replied, standing up and cracking his knuckles. "Is it dangerous?"

"You bet." Bokuto grinned.

"Count me in."

 

* * *

 

 

"So we just...attack it?" Hinata asked, watching as Bokuto secured the piece of armour to a practice dummy.

"Yep, throw everything you got at it. Kenma supposedly enchanted it with fire resistance and I wanna make sure it...well...is."

"So what's the danger part of it?"

"Getting caught by Suga."

Nishinoya nodded in agreement, laughing slightly as he rolled his neck and prepared to summon his own variation of flames, Hinata was a little more hesitant given the last time he was allowed to practice with Bokuto. At first the iron plating held up to Nishinoya's small fireballs, a few scorch marks were left in the polished metal but nothing worth worrying over. When Hinata stepped up to test the piece he got a slight feeling of deja vu. It only heightened as he brought his hands together and let out a shallow breath.

The mental image of the brute came back, hand holding Yaku to the wall, toothy grin and bulky arms. The screams of pain as fire engulfed his body, the stench of burning flesh and singed cloth. The guilt that had rooted itself inside Hinata surfaced as the intense stinging sensation brought him back to the present day.

The breastplate lay on the floor in two pieces, a large hole had melted in the centre and caused the rest of the plating to separate, leather bindings were singed but relatively intact. Nishinoya's hand was on Hinata's shoulder in an instant, concern clear in his eyes as Bokuto picked up the two pieces with a frown.

"Are you okay?" Nishinoya asked. "You lost yourself for a few moments didn't you?"

Hinata looked down at his hands, the veins stood out a little more prominently than usual, fingertips a little redder than normal, his wrists hurt as well when he dwelled on it.

"I..." Before he could explain, the door to the armoury burst open and the confused and slightly irritated expression on Suga's face said it all.

"Why can I smell burning?" He asked, immediately looking to Bokuto for an explanation. "What did you do now?"

" _Me_ , why Suga since when have I been able to shoot fire from my fingers? Besides, we were testing out some supposedly fire resistant armour...clearly it didn't uh...work." He replied, holding up one half of the piece. "Uh...that's why you can smell burning."

Suga's gaze immediately shifted to Hinata, though his irritation was ebbing away as he saw the other cradling his hands and Nishinoya looking concerned. It was established quickly that Hinata needed medical attention and so the call was made for Akaashi to be woken up to see to the younger mage. Once Hinata was out of earshot, Suga looked to Nishinoya for some kind of reasonable explanation.

"He kinda, went into this trance I guess." The older mage explained as Suga busied himself with making breakfast in the kitchen. "His eyes were almost vacant as his hands shook, the fire went out of control and almost turned into a huge fireball."

"Huh..." Suga hummed.

"Has he been through anything traumatic recently? Anything where he's had to use his powers against his will?"

Suga's hands paused in preparing the fish he was going to cook over the fire-pit. "...he has."

It didn't take very long to tell Nishinoya the disaster that was their last job, or how the entire guild was feeling tense because of it. Of course Suga only knew of the incident because of what Daichi and Kuroo told him, nevertheless it didn't sound like anything one could get over in a hurry. It occurred to Nishinoya, that the stance Hinata had taken up against the practice dummy was probably the same he had taken against the man he killed to save Yaku, thus triggering the memories that some people in their line of work feared would surface.

"Well, if it’s any consolation, it's perfectly normal." Nishinoya shrugged.

"Normal or not, if he's still suffering enough for his powers to be that unruly then we need to do something about it." Suga stated, continuing with his food preparation again. "If Akaashi wasn't so unstable right now then I'd ask him to..."

"Don't." Nishinoya interrupted, slamming his hands on the table and locking eyes with the older male. "That could do more damage than anything. Don't let anyone mess around with his head Suga, getting inside a mage's mind is _never_ a good idea, trust me on this one."

The determination in the other's eyes sent a slight chill through Suga, he didn't need to ask how Nishinoya knew this, simply accepting that one of his many travels had yielded enough experience with the matter to know he did not want to go through it all again.

"As you wish."

 

* * *

 

 

It was obvious to everyone in the guild that Kuroo wasn't happy with the latest development regarding the dragon, Akaashi had picked up on it as soon as Tanaka first told them but it had grown steadily more noticeable since the leader actually met Kiyoko. He had returned with Bokuto and drank almost an entire keg of rum by himself before falling asleep on the other's shoulder. Such behaviour usually signalled that his mind was troubled and Akaashi wasn't about to simply sit and watch. Once he had finished inspecting Hinata's bruised hands, Akaashi watched the mage leave the general quarters before turning back to the half-awake male beside him. Kuroo had roused from his slumber when Hinata blurted out he nearly set the guild on fire again, but quickly lost interest in the conversation, merely watching Akaashi look over Hinata's hands and then tell him exactly how to treat them - getting some cool water and _gently_ pressing a damp cloth to them until they stopped hurting so much - before sending him away.

"How are you?" Akaashi asked, keeping his voice quiet as some of the others were still asleep.

"My head hurts..." Kuroo uttered, reaching out and brushing his fingers over Akaashi's arm, not quite demanding the other's touch but still wanting the physical comfort.

The younger male wasn't one to be overly affectionate in public, however given their guild-brothers were asleep still and there was something _clearly_ on Kuroo's mind other than a hangover, he climbed out of his bed and shuffled into Kuroo's. There wasn't really enough space for both of them without him nearly falling out onto the hard stone floor, a strong arm wrapped around him and pulled him close, face burying in the crook of his neck as a heavy sigh left dry lips. Akaashi smiled slightly, trailing his fingers over the broad shoulder his chin rested on, feeling the tension in toned muscles before Kuroo released him enough to pull back slightly.

"Talk to me." Akaashi breathed, studying hazel eyes as he moved his hand to gently cup the other's face. "Don't bottle it up Tetsurou."

A small hum of amusement left the older male. "Usually I'm the one telling _you_ not to bottle it up."

"True, but you also have a habit of not fully expressing yourself. You'll argue your point with Daichi til sunrise, yet you won't disclose really why you disagree, will you?"

Kuroo swallowed, figuring that Bokuto probably told Akaashi what had been said the previous night in the forest. "...I just get a bad feeling Keiji. The same bad feeling I got before my mom...it doesn't sit right with me. Dragons are hunted for more than their hide, they're hunted because they're dangerous...and they want us to work with one?"

Fingers slowly grazed Kuroo's jawline, trailing up into his tangled hair and threading through black strands as he spoke, Akaashi blinked slowly as Kuroo let out a small sigh.

"Mages are considered dangerous too. Are you saying we should hunt them?"

Eyes widened. "N-No. Well, the ones who do shitty things like trying to raise the dead...maybe. But dragons are wild Keiji, unpredictable...like people."

Akaashi hummed in understanding, feeling Kuroo pull him just a little closer. "Are you scared because of the dragon herself, or of those who'd kill to get to her?"

There was a pause before whisper left Kuroo. "I'm scared...I'm scared of more people I care about getting hurt."

The statement wasn't completely out of the blue to Akaashi, however seeing how glassy-eyed Kuroo was getting just at the thought sent a pang through his entire being. He gently tugged the other back into a tight embrace, letting the usually composed male bury his face in his shoulder again and wrap his arms tightly around Akaashi's slim build. If the prospect of helping the dragon was weighing this heavily on Kuroo's mind, Akaashi couldn't see how they could possibly accept the task. Yet it wasn't as simple as counting themselves out of it; they'd still witness their guild-brothers continuing on and Kuroo's fears wouldn't be eased either way.

"You must think I'm a shitty assassin...caring so much about people who kill for a living." Kuroo mumbled into Akaashi's shoulder.

"I think you're an admirable person Tetsurou, to overcome what life has thrown at you and create such a safe haven for others like you...to give me a place to call home..." He trailed off, not quite sure what he was trying to say anymore. Deep down he knew Kuroo was very aware of how much he meant to Akaashi, how much Akaashi owed him in a way but he would never demand that payment in anything other than companionship.

A loud sniff confirmed Akaashi's assumptions that he was overwhelmed. With his fingers still tangled in Kuroo's hair, he gently tugged the other back so he could press their foreheads together. Tear stained cheeks were of little concern as Akaashi held Kuroo's face in his hands, swiping his thumbs over prominent cheekbones.

"It'll be okay." He breathed.

_Let me ease your worries_

A small nod from Kuroo made Akaashi smile a little. He hummed softly as he continued rubbing the pads of his thumbs over Kuroo's cheeks, the simple actions gradually soothed the older male enough for his breathing to normalise, even to the point he was falling asleep again. Akaashi let him slip into a slumber, continuing to ease his worries in the only way he knew how. His chores for the day could wait he decided, for the well-being of the other was more important in his mind.

 

* * *

 

Yaku wasn't sure how he was the one roped into helping Kenma look through his monstrous collection of dusty books on everything from herbal remedies to the history of the royal lineage. He was vaguely aware that Kuroo had a bad night and Hinata was being carefully monitored by Suga, Bokuto was trying to work out why his armour had split apart the way it had and Kunimi wanted absolutely nothing to do with any of 'this dragon bullshit'.

"So, where are we starting?" He sighed, watching Kenma pass another book - the fourth in the current pile -  to Nishinoya who was adamant he was going to help get to the bottom of this.

"General references to people shape-shifting into dragons, can be historical accounts, legends, rumours, theories...anything and everything. Also long term enchantments or curses, anything that could be a lead really." Kenma shrugged, he seemed more interested than usual in this task. Usually when they were given research jobs - the rare occasion that was - he came across as bored and half-asleep, however this time he was bustling back and forth between bookcases with a sense of purpose, fetching parchment and ink to write notes down, he'd even cleared off an entire table of alchemy ingredients to use as a desk.

"I thought cursing people was...y'know, not allowed?" Yaku glanced at Nishinoya.

"It isn't, but that doesn't stop it being done does it? Just like murder isn't allowed yet you do it every other day." The mage shrugged.

Kenma nodded. "It's not as well documented as conventional enchantments, but the rudimentary theory behind it is the same. Therefore, one of these books might have some useful information."

"Okay...and if they don't?" Yaku clarified, looking around at the dozen piles of books, each from slightly different subject areas but apparently all potentially including the vital information.

"If they don't, then I'll be buying more." Kenma stated, voice void of any humour. Nishinoya hummed in amusement before picking up a large book titled _'Deadly Magical creatures & You'_ and beginning the thumb through it.

"Oh-kay then, well where should I start?" Yaku sighed, he wasn't one for reading that much but it wasn't like he had any contracts to do. Kenma glanced around before handing him a rather aged book; _'A brief history of Dragon Hunting.'_.

"I'll start with this one." He stated, holding up a book with the royal family's coat of arms on etched into the leather; a phoenix painted in bright red and oranges, in front of a square shield. "I figured I'd tackle the more boring topic."

For a while they sat in silence, flicking through yellowed parchment, occasionally finding something of note and Kenma writing it down before moving on. It was a tedious process that took up a lot of their day, yet it wasn't as boring as Yaku had first thought it would be. He found himself learning odd pieces of information and now had a new found respect for the authors of the books he was skimming through. Kenma's reading pace was insane compared to his and Nishinoya's, the alchemist having gotten through half the books by himself, though that was probably down to the fact he had read them before and knew exactly where to look for the information.

"Kenma." Nishinoya uttered, eyes fixated on the page he was reading. "I think..."

The other set his book down and peered over, the page had a coloured image of a half-human, half-dragon figure surrounded by what looked like lightning and ice. It was puzzling to say the least.

"What does it say about the picture?"

"It says...'though shape-shifting into a giant beast is difficult, it is believed that those of pure heart and a fierce desire to protect those they care about are capable of doing so without struggle.'" Nishinoya read aloud. "H-However if they are killed before they can return to their human form, their soul may become trapped in--"

"Sounds too...accurate." Yaku hummed. "What's the title of that book?"

"Uh _'The Magical Beast Grimoire'_."

"It's written by a bard." Kenma grunted. "Probably over-the-top storytelling like Tanaka."

"And if it isn't?" Yaku asked.

"The dragon said one of Nishinoya's kind did it to her against her will. That description indicates the individual is willing to put themselves in danger like that." Kenma replied, going back to reading the latest book in his hands. "I am disregarding it."

Neither of the other males decided to argue, they simply went back to trawling through the several dozen books Kenma had selected. Yaku learned a great deal about different species of dragons, what caused the sudden increase in hunting them for their hide - it was a power-hungry warlord wanting to boost his ego by having his entire army kitted out in dragon-hide armour - and even the basics of creating enchantments. He found nothing glaringly obvious that would be useful to their cause however. Nishinoya had remained focused for the most part, occasionally sighing loudly and getting half-hearted glare from Kenma for disturbing the peace, he got bogged down in learning about different historical accounts of the first time a dragon's nest was discovered - he found it cool at first but quickly got frustrated by the old style of writing they had written in - and was ready to stop.

"You two could probably leave the rest to me." Kenma uttered without even looking up. "It's been a few hours and I'm sure you're eager to stretch your legs."

The other two glanced at each other before nodding, adding their books to the giant pile of read texts before quietly leaving the alchemist to his solitude. Within a few moments of getting out in the sheltered courtyard, Nishinoya let out a loud sigh of relief.

"Don't get me wrong Morisuke, I love researching cool stuff, but doing it in silence just _kills_ me y'know?" He smiled, making a beeline for the stables. "You wanna take a ride before sundown and shake off the old book smell?"

Yaku considered declining and finding Kunimi and Kindaichi, since Nishinoya's arrival the sentries had made themselves scarce and he wanted to know if they were really going to avoid the mage forever. However he hadn't been on a ride in a while and the horses would probably appreciate the exercise. Nishinoya was already saddling up Yuki, brushing away the dark mane from the leather fasteners as Yaku decided to go with his preferred horse Amaya. Once out of sight of the guild and onto the trail leading east, they spurred both mares to a gallop, with the lake on their left, the deep forest to their right and the rolling hills between them and the capital city, there was little that could make Yaku feel more at peace in that moment.

As they reached the first hill between the guild and the city, they slowed to a stop and pause on the grassy mound. Both horses started picking at the ground as they simply enjoyed the gentle wind, the smell of the countryside, the peacefulness of everything. The mountains to the north dominated the skyline, their snowy peaks and sheer rock faces reminding Nishinoya of Kiyoko's statement that if they ever needed her to lit a fire in the cove and she would swoop down to see them. He knew that Kuroo didn't trust her, he didn't blame the other in all honesty but that didn't mean he wouldn't welcome a change of heart from the leader.

"Do you wanna speak to her?" He asked Yaku, catching the other off guard slightly.

"Eh? The dragon?"

"Yeah, we got time before supper, and the sun's set behind us so it should be dark enough for her now."

Yaku saw no reason to say no. "Sure, will the horses be okay though?"

"Yeah, should be."

Setting off at a slightly slower pace, they followed the lake around towards the cove, the daylight fading quickly as the evening wind rolled down the mountainside. Making sure both horses were far enough away not to get spooked by Kiyoko's arrival, Nishinoya collected some driftwood and arranged it haphazardly to make a fire. It only took a small spark to set them alight and a bit of encouragement from a fireball to get the fire roaring. They watched the smoke rise, the amber glow on their cheeks as they then looked out towards the lake.

Several minutes passed by, Nishinoya was patient, knowing Kiyoko would probably circle ahead in the darkness to determine if they were friend or foe. However as time continued to pass, the dusk drew onwards, the water lapped at the pebbles and the driftwood burned, Nishinoya started getting a bad feeling.

Footsteps startled him and Yaku, followed by Tanaka emerging from behind the cliff face panting and looking much more concerned than he should've been.

"Yuu, Akaashi got sent a crow from one of his contacts in the village."

"And?" Nishinoya replied.

"They said that someone sighted a dragon in the forest and now a group of hunters are out for its hide."

"Oh." Nishinoya's face paled, he swallowed as he tried to process what this all meant.

Yaku wasn't dumb, but he had his head screwed on more than Nishinoya. "You take Yuki and ride into the forest, I'll ride back to the guild and get the others." He ordered.

"You wha--"

"Yuu, she came to us for help and now she's about to be hunted for her hide. I think even Kuroo can set aside his opinions for a few hours to help find her before the hunters do." He snapped, whistling for Yuki to meander over. He gathered the reins and forced them into Nishinoya's hand. "Get going idiot."


	9. Something Strange

Chapter Nine

Something Strange 

 

 Riding through the thick undergrowth was not the easiest thing Nishinoya had done, but it was by far not the hardest. He was sitting further forward than usual to accommodate Tanaka on horseback. The darkness was making it hard to avoid getting hit in the face with branches and leaves, but Yuki was used to avoiding most low-lying branches for her rider. Nishinoya felt sick to his stomach just thinking about Kiyoko being hunted, he bought her to the guild to help her, to protect her yet now he was frantically riding through the trees to find her before she was effectively murdered.

"Wait." Tanaka signalled the horse to halt, Nishinoya didn't say anything as the silence of the forest yielded little clues. Darkness surrounded them until Nishinoya reached out with one hand and summoned a small ball of light, illuminating the area enough for them to see into the shadows. "...did you hear that?"

"Hear what--"

A distant cheer caught Nishinoya's attention, Yuki's ears twitched slightly at the sound and let the mage steer her towards it. Slowly picking their way through the trees, the cheers got a little louder, a low growl accompanying them. Nishinoya didn't wait for Yuki to stop, practically jumping from the saddle and immediately summoning his sparks. Tanaka managed to catch him before he was noticed, pulling him into the undergrowth and keeping him from escaping.

"Ryuu let me go--" Nishinoya hissed.

"No. We wait for the others." Tanaka hissed back. "They could kill her if we spook them."

From between the leaves of the bushes they were hiding in, they could both see the group of hunters; each of them armed with sinister-looking blades and clad in iron-plating, at least seven in total, all crowded around something. Neither of them had to think much to work out what these hunters were looking at.

"Not so tough now are you?" One of them jeered. "No wonder people kill you so easily."

"Dude just get on with it, we got it cornered now, just take its head off." Another sighed. "Quit stalling."

"Not so fast, how often do we get to be this close to a dragon eh? Just, don't rush okay?"

Nishinoya had to clench his hands into fists to stop himself doing anything rash, Tanaka slowly withdrew his sword but made no move to step out and take on any of the hunters. They watched in silence as the hunters continued to jeer at their prisoner. They got glimpses of the rope keeping her limbs still, her wings tucked away, even keeping her head on the floor so she couldn't lash out. Her eyes followed the one who seemed to be the leader of the group, in his hands an axe that winced menacingly in the light of their flaming torches.

"So we take the head off, then what?" One of the others asked.

"Skin it, duh." Their leader scoffed. "I didn't pay off those bandits to get to it just to only take its head."

Nishinoya and Tanaka gave each other a confused glance, questions bubbling inside their heads but unable to ask each other outright.

"Still think that was a weird move."

"Psh, not the point, they're letting us have this kill and we just had to tell them some shit about the forest. No big deal."

A slight disturbance in the branches above Nishinoya spooked him, looking up he saw Akaashi perched on the tree branches, though it was hard to tell as the other was decked out in his stealth gear. The other male nodded slightly towards the trees where Suga slowly emerged from the darkness, bow in hand and arrow already ready to be loaded, another rustle of leaves signalled Yaku's arrival with Daichi to their left - as Nishinoya predicted, there was no sign of Kuroo coming to Kiyoko's aide.

"So, plan?" Daichi breathed as he crouched next to the mage.

"It's rope, so I guess we can easily cut her free." Nishinoya replied.

"You want us to play distraction whilst you do that?" Daichi asked, drawing his sword and glancing over the small clearing.

"No. I want to kill them." Nishinoya grunted, Tanaka shook his head at Daichi, having noticed the other's fingerless gloves glowing as he suppressed his desire to unleash his powers at the hunters.

"No." Daichi replied. "No needlessly killing. They're honest working men--"

"They made a deal with bandits Daichi. They sold them information on the forest around the guild."

Yaku and Suga exchanged a look before Suga murmured, "...you don't think..."

"That's not important right now." Daichi interrupted. "Focus on getting Kiyoko out of this mess, then we'll handle the bandits."

Suga didn't say anything as he loaded an arrow and aimed, with a slow exhale he released it. It struck one of the flaming torches and knocked it from the hunter's hand. A short yelp left the other as they looked around wildly for the culprit. Another arrow flew through the air and struck the covered shoulder of another, not injuring them but confusing them. Akaashi started moving swiftly between the trees, debating where best to strike to render the hunters unable to fight back.

"Shit, someone's on to us!" The leader of the group shouted. Yaku didn't hesitate as his hand went to the leather pouch on his belt and brought out a vial Kenma had supplied him. He launched it into the middle of the clearing, glass shattered and a plume of smoke came billowing out. It obscured all sight of the hunters. Akaashi spotted his target and dropped down as Yaku threw the vial, knocking the axe from his hand and pinning him to the floor in the middle of the smokescreen. He wrestled for control as Suga's arrows whistled overhead, cutting through the smoke like knives en route to their destination to disarm and startle.

Daichi and Tanaka waited for the smoke to clear a little before grabbing disorientated hunters and putting them in choke-holds, cutting off air supply enough to render them unconscious before somewhat carefully casting them aside and moving onto the next. As the hunters continued to fall to the non-fatal actions of the guild, Nishinoya made his way to the bound beast. She squirmed against his confines until he motioned for her to stay still. Drawing a small dagger, it didn't take long to cut the rope around her neck. The bindings around her wings were stronger and he had to practically saw at them to get them to fray enough for her to break them herself.

The sounds of surprise and scuffling echoed around the clearing, the smoke slowly faded and revealed the unconscious - but still alive - hunters to their leader. Akaashi had him pinned to the ground, the assassin wasted no time in starting the interrogation.

_Who are the bandits? Why did they want to know about the forest? Who are they working for?_

"G-Get out of my head! I was just trying to earn some coin for fuck sake!" The other male protested as Tanaka arrived to help Nishinoya free Kiyoko.

"Answer him." Daichi replied, making sure to recover his face to hide his identity from the man they were going to let live. "We do not want to kill any of you."

The hunter's eyes flickered from Daichi to Akaashi and back again, swallowing as he stopped trying to struggle against the other's grip. "I-I don't know who they are. They came up to us in the tavern yesterday, telling us about the beast--they said they'd tell us how to lure it out if we told them about the trails we use to hunt in the eastern forest."

"You don't hunt there though. Not anymore." Akaashi interrupted.

"N-No, no we don't, the terrain is too difficult to traverse and the quality of game isn't as good as it is here. I wasn't sure why they wanted to know but hey- they were offering us info on a _dragon_. W-We'd be set for months with the coin made of its hide!"

"What colours were they wearing?" Suga stepped in, pulling his hood over his face and keeping his gaze on the floor. "Blue?"

"Y-Yes! Dark blue with a crest on the iron plating. We assumed they were an older clan of bandits y'know, like from the mountains, and we're just trying to get by and feed our families so we didn't want to question them--"

Nishinoya got the last of the rope unravelled, stepping back and letting Kiyoko stretch her wings, she half-bowed in gratitude but refrained from speaking. The simple nod exchanged between her and Nishinoya seemed to indicate an agreement before she took flight, the trees and foliage rustling in protest as she did so. Akaashi narrowed his eyes at the man below him.

"Dark blue with a crest." He clarified.

"Yes sir!"

Daichi didn't need to look at Suga and Yaku to confirm what they were thinking. He sighed heavily and motioned for Suga to step forward, whispering in the archer's ear and getting a nod in return. "Let him stand."

Akaashi grunted, getting off the other and offering a hand to him. The hunter was apprehensive but took it, dusting himself off before nodding in gratitude. Suga produced a small pouch of coins, most of them gold, and tossed it at the hunter who caught it clumsily.

"W-What's--"

"Think of it as a token of goodwill." Daichi stated. "We couldn't let you kill that beast, however we do not wish your families to starve because of our actions. Likewise I doubt those bandits paid you."

The hunter seemed bewildered but nodded, clutching the small leather pouch. His comrades were beginning to stir, some sitting up and immediately questioning what happened, Nishinoya was already walking back towards where he left Yuki, deciding he was done with the conversation.

"Uhm, thank you?" The hunter eventually replied. "W-Who are you?"

"Assassins." Akaashi stated bluntly. "We chose not to kill any of you as you were simply sold the information by another party who we have a score to settle with. It's a decision we didn't take lightly, so don't make us regret it. If anyone asks, you will say that the dragon startled and flew to the mountains, you will not breathe a word of our existence to anyone understand?"

With a hasty nod the hunter immediately started seeing to his confused party, Akaashi followed the others back into the dense forest ready to meet at the cove for a no doubt long conversation about what all this meant. As they convened on the pebbles, Kiyoko having arrived there way before them, he started getting this sick sensation in his stomach. It was almost like he could sense something was very wrong, that they were overlooking something. As he let his gaze linger on the fire in front of him, Nishinoya protesting at not being allowed to kill the hunters outright falling on his deaf ears, Akaashi started focusing his thoughts on the guild. His breathing slowing as his eyes slipped shut and he imagined those left in the safety of the walls.

The sick sensation grew, his heartbeat quickening as he sensed something was _definitely_ wrong.

 _"Who the fuck are you?"_ Kuroo's voice, followed by the clang of metal, swords coming together. _"Bokuto, don't let them--"_

He stood up, head spinning as his eyes focused on the others who were looking at him weirdly.

"Something...someone...the guild's being attacked." He uttered, clutching his forehead. "I...I heard..."

Suga immediately stepped forward and steadied him. "You heard? Keiji you have to be looking at someone--"

"I know what I heard okay? They're...Kuroo was yelling at Bokuto to not let 'them' do something."

"One guess who's attacking the guild." Yaku grunted.

Daichi sighed heavily as he paced over to where Amaya had been picking at some washed up plants, gathering the reins in his hand before turning back to meet Suga's gaze. "You think you and Yaku can make it there quickly on foot?" He asked. "Akaashi and I will follow on horseback."

"Sure, I reckon we can." Suga nodded, swinging his bow over his shoulder. "Should we go now?"

"Yes." Akaashi cut in, clutching his forehead as he battled the sickening feeling in his stomach. "Please."

They set off at a jog, Daichi was adamant that he and Akaashi had to wait until the other could stand without swaying. The lake was calm, a complete opposite to the chaos unfolding in Akaashi's thoughts as he tried not to think about Kuroo and the others being in danger. He had no explanation how he knew what was happening, how he had _heard_ Kuroo's voice in his head without being anywhere near him, let alone not having eye contact with him. The entire situation was making his stomach twist into knots.

"Can you two make sure Kiyoko is okay?" Daichi asked Nishinoya and Tanaka as Akaashi mounted Amaya and settled in the saddle.

"Yeah, are you sure you don't want us to help?" Tanaka raised an eyebrow, curious as to why they all weren't rushing to the guild.

"It's fine, I'm sure Kuroo has it under control. Just come back when you're ready."

"Alright..."

Akaashi waited for Daichi to join him in the saddle before urging Amaya to set off at a trot, quickly encouraging her into a canter along the pebbled beach. The guild wasn't that far away in the grand scheme of things, but the journey still seemed endless as his thoughts ran riot in his head.

 

* * *

 

 

Kunimi had watched the sunset without so much of a bird disturbing him, usually he immediately clambered down from the tree as soon as it started getting dark but all this talk about the dragon had irritated him. So far he had gathered that it was a mage who turned a girl into the beast Nishinoya had befriended, and now they were talking about curses and counter-curses as if it was the most logical explanation. The entire thing stank of the kind of shit he hated so he had isolated himself as much as Kindaichi would allow him to.

"Akira, come on." The other called up. "Nishinoya isn't even here."

Kunimi knew this, he had watched Yaku and the mage depart that afternoon and they hadn't returned yet. Though that didn't mean he wanted to be stuck inside with a hyperactive Hinata.

"I'll be fine up here for a while." He replied, knowing Kindaichi wasn't going to accept that immediately.

"Akira--"

"Yuutarou I mean it. Don't force me."

Kindaichi let out a mutter before disappearing into the guild. He passed Akaashi on his way to the armoury, he had found himself confiding in Bokuto a lot since Kunimi started acting weird. The older male wasn't good at talking but Bokuto offered to let Kindaichi test his sword arm out as a way of working his way through the emotions he was feeling. It was a good way to pass time too as Suga prepared supper and Kuroo seemed to mope around the guild. He didn't hear the original commotion until Tanaka burst into the armoury yelling for Kuroo to go with Akaashi and some of the others to rescue the dragon.

"No. Because the guild should have a leader present at all times." Kuroo immediately replied, not glancing up from where he was sharpening his sword.

Tanaka seemed put out but didn't argue, asking Bokuto to ready everyone's weapons for them to depart immediately. Kindaichi managed to get out of Tanaka that Akaashi had received word by one of his few crows that a dragon had been spotted in the area and a group of hunters were going out to put it down. At first Akaashi had been sceptical as to why they would receive a note on such a matter, but that was quickly forgotten when they considered that this dragon was likely Kiyoko and that she was in danger.

"So I'll head to the lake to find Nishinoya, Yaku will probably ride back to pick up his weapons before following us with the rest." Tanaka babbled to Kindaichi as he sheathed his greatsword. "I dunno how Yuu will react though, he might lose his cool..."

"I'm sure it'll be fine?" Kindaichi offered hesitantly, offering Akaashi his two trusty daggers. Tanaka sighed heavily before nodding, setting off to grab the faster of the two remaining horses.

Suga was already equipped to leave, Daichi was just tugging the thin material over his face as Kuroo watched on with a look of disdain on his face. They held each other's gaze for what seemed like an eternity, even Bokuto wasn't sure whether to interrupt or not as Kuroo shook his head slightly.

"Told you that dragon would be trouble." He uttered, not sparing anyone a second glance as he set his sword down and disappeared down the steps towards the general quarters. Akaashi's expression was impassive, yet Suga seemed to think he needed a gentle shoulder pat of reassurance as Daichi refused to say anything in response.

As Tanaka predicted, Yaku did ride back and made a beeline for his weapons, getting briefed on what exactly Akaashi's messenger had told him about these hunters before all four of them left. Kenma had come out of his room to find out what all the yelling was about before supplying Yaku with some vials of colourless liquid, murmuring an explanation to him before their departure. As the outside stone grinded back into place behind them, Bokuto sighed heavily and declared that everyone - barring Kuroo who seemed to be sulking - should just carry on their evening as normal. Kunimi had watched the older members of the guild leave in a hurry and decided to finally come inside to find out what was going on, Hinata too was slightly in the dark as he had been wrapped up in some of Kenma's books on elemental magic and not heard the commotion.

"Huh, so some hunters are going to kill the dragon?" Hinata clarified as Bokuto finished telling them what had happened.

"Not if Noya can help it." Bokuto replied.

Kenma had been quiet as usual, considering all the information and mulling it over in his mind. He found it odd how Akaashi had been sent a message on such a topic, it seemed oddly specific to them. As far as he was aware, no-one outside the guild knew that they were in contact with the dragon and that was for their safety as well as hers. So why had someone warned them about the hunters going after her? More importantly _who_ had warned them? The crows were trained to fly directly to the guild, as such only loyal contacts had access to them, yet most of the time they didn't sign their notes with anything other than a wax seal for fear of being arrested or worse.

He decided bringing these concerns up with Hinata and Kunimi present would only fuel their confusion on the matter, so he slipped away to find Kuroo. Whilst he didn't like the dragon situation, he had to care enough about the way this note had been sent to see how odd it was. He found the other in the general quarters lying in a bed staring at the ceiling, he was holding a ring in between his fingers and looking through it in contemplation as Kenma sat on the next bed along and waited.

"That's the ring your father gave to your mother, isn't it?" Kenma asked quietly.

"Yeah, their commitment ring." Kuroo replied, voice not much above a rumble in his chest. "Mom gave it to me when she started working more, saying that in times of doubt it reminded her she was loved. She wanted me to have it for that reason, knowing I was travelling more..." He trailed off.

"A nice sentiment."

"Mhm, it's the only thing I have that my father touched." Kuroo sighed heavily, turning over the ring in his fingers as he thought.

"It must be hard not knowing what..." Kenma trailed off, realising this wasn't the conversation Kuroo needed to be having in that moment. "Kuro?"

"Yeah?" The other replied, slipping the silver band back onto his middle finger. "What's on your mind?"

"The note that Akaashi received, the nature of it is odd don't you think?"

"The entire fucking situation is weird Kenma, you'll have to be more specific."

"I mean, no-one outside the guild knows about Kiyoko, so why would one of our contacts go out of their way to tell us the dragon is threatened? Do we know who it was?"

Kuroo shrugged, sitting up and scratching his head. "Keiji just said it was someone from that village by the river mouth...Kawamura? Fucked if I know all those different seals."

"Don't you find it strange though?"

The guild leader hummed, considering the bigger picture. "I guess? Though not a lot we can do about it now."

It satisfied Kenma enough that Kuroo at least saw what he was saying, even if he was right in that they couldn't do anything about it currently. As conversation died between them and a comfortable silence fell, Kuroo stood up and declared he was going to get some air whilst it was quiet. Kenma murmured that he'd go back and join the others in that case, leaving Kuroo to his own thoughts again as he climbed the stairs to the armoury and made his way to the courtyard. He was caught a little off guard at Kunimi being outside too, the sentry simply standing and looking up at the night sky, he acknowledged Kuroo's presence with a side-glance but said nothing.

It was a calm night, the clouds that were in the sky were passing quickly enabling the moon to shine brightly, casting shadows and making the outlines of trees stand out more. It was a cool night, the forest was quiet, nothing seemed to indicate anything was wrong. Kuroo slowly approached Kunimi, vaguely curious as to why he was out there alone but not on his sentry post.

"You don't like it either, do you?" Kunimi stated, glancing over his shoulder at Kuroo. "This whole dragon bullshit."

"Well, it’s more that I know it'll only cause trouble." Kuroo shrugged. "Like now, half the guild has gone off to stop some hunters stripping her of her hide."

Kunimi let out a sarcastic laugh. "Yeah...if only they had taken Hinata too."

"You know he would've been a liability with his current power struggle." Kuroo mused, not bothering to defend the mage as he knew Kunimi wouldn't listen to him anyway.

"Yeah...exactly."

He was about to ask why Kunimi hated mages so much when a slight shuffling in the tree made him pause. Before either of them could react, the sound of an arrow slicing through the air caught their attention, a small surprised noise left Kunimi as his hand flew to his side. In the darkness Kuroo couldn't see what had happened, but the sound alone sent a wave of panic through him.

"Akira?"

"Fuck--it's nothing, just get the others." The younger male hissed, doubling over slightly and breathing shallow breaths. " _Now_ you idiot."

Without thinking properly, Kuroo sprinted to the door, yanking it open and calling for Bokuto and Kindaichi. When he turned around at the sound of something hitting the floor, he found himself face to face with a masked man dressed in a dark blue tunic and clad in light leather strapping.

"Who the fuck are you?" He asked, hand immediately going to his sword and unsheathing it, as he drew it up to threaten the other, another blade came up and connected with his with a loud clang. Bokuto appeared behind him and called for some instructions. "Bokuto don't let them--"

"Akira!" Kindaichi's panicked voice cut Kuroo off as he moved past to aid his friend, Kunimi shoved him away harshly and told him to stop getting distracted from the real danger as two more masked individuals landed in the courtyard. Kindaichi drew his two blades and charged at them, not giving them a chance to draw their own weapons.

Kuroo had already disarmed the male in front of him, shoving him against a wall and running his blade through a weak point in the armour. Bokuto had retreated into the guild to inform Kenma of the situation as even more intruders dropped down and began overwhelming the other males.

"Shoyo, come with me." Kenma stated, grabbing Hinata's wrist and dragging him to the darkened alchemy lab.

Hinata was confused and scared, catching a glance of the carnage outside and watching Kindaichi sever someone's arm before Kenma tugged him into the room. He watched as Kenma closed the door and placed both hands against the wood. They could both hear the clanging of steel and iron just outside the room and it was making Hinata feel uneasy. He didn't want a repeat of the heist, he didn't want to use his powers like that again.

A soft white light distracted him from his thoughts. Kenma's fingertips were glowing as they pressed against the door, the light seeping into the wooden planks and spreading out across the door until the entire surface was coated in a thin veil of white light. He stepped away slowly, letting out a small sigh before turning back to Hinata who was a little dumbstruck at the display.

"Are you okay?" Kenma asked.

"Uhm...I-I guess? What's happening out there?" Hinata replied.

Kenma shrugged. "I guess someone figured that the others being gone meant it was the perfect time to attack..." He trailed off, mulling over what he had said to Kuroo not more than an hour previously. "I have my suspicions though."

A particularly loud yell startled Hinata, Kenma decided the other needed distracting quickly. He spied the locked chest where he kept his runestones and remembered the other's fascination with them. He beckoned Hinata over and unlocked the padlock, opening the heavy lid and revealing the collection of coloured gemstones of different sizes and shapes. Hinata's eyes widened as he crouched down and marvelled at the stones, hesitantly reaching in and running his fingers over them. Kenma was painfully aware that there was a fight going on outside and he wanted to help, but he couldn't abandon Hinata. Instead, he started telling Hinata about how he started collecting runestones in an attempt to forget about the fighting outside.

It was a relief for Kuroo to see Suga appear at the opening to the courtyard with his bow in hand. Soon after he released three arrows into the clearing, three more bodies fell to the ground, Kuroo ran his blade through another. Kindaichi and Yaku set about finishing off the rest whilst Suga immediately went to Kunimi's side, the sentry was breathing shallowly and sweating as he tried to remain calm, arrow still embedded in his side and blood staining his clothing.

"Where's Kenma and Hinata?" Suga asked Kuroo as he assessed the situation. "Akaashi said he heard you..."

"They're inside Kenma's lab, Bokuto should be guarding them." Kuroo replied, looking up and seeing Daichi and Akaashi arrived on horseback. Bodies littered the courtyard and inside the hallway of the guild, but none of that mattered as Kunimi finally started letting on how in pain he was.

"Get him to Kenma, _now_." Daichi ordered. "Suga, scout out the forest and kill anything that moves, Kuroo make sure all of these bastards are dead."

Akaashi nodded in understanding as Kindaichi gently picked Kunimi up, setting off a few paces ahead to summon the alchemist.

 

* * *

 

"Akira." Akaashi's voice was calm but commanding in the white-hot pain of Kunimi's head. Everything burned, it hurt to breathe, he could feel strong hands holding his limbs down and preventing his escape. "Akira, listen to me."

"Just--get it the fuck out." Kunimi hissed through gritted teeth, eyes watering as he looked everywhere but at Kenma and voice cracking as he struggled against the hands holding his wrists down. He could feel the solid table beneath him, even each of the grooves of the wooden planks that his back was pressed against. "It fucking hurts!"

"I know, which is why you need to listen to me."

A hand rested on his forehead, cool in comparison to the pain, prompting him to keep his eyes open. Through glassy vision, he could make out Kindaichi's concerned face, Akaashi was stood beside him leaning a little closer than he normally would've liked but in that moment he didn't care. Coal-like eyes bore into him, he was no stranger to what was about to happen and he accepted willingly.

_The pain will pass Akira_

The coolness in Akaashi's hand was starting to ease the white-hot pain, he could breathe a little easier, remain a little calmer as he felt Kenma's nimble fingers work at his wound.

"Make sure he doesn't move." Kenma's mumbled statement broke the silence. "This is gonna hurt."

Kunimi let out a high-pitched whine as he felt a sharp stinging, his body flinched against the hands holding him down, the whine erupting into a cry as Kenma's fingers worked the arrow-head from his flesh. It was an agonisingly slow process; Kenma had to dislodge the iron shard very slowly so not to further damage Kunimi's body, all while Kunimi let out choked sobs and fought the urge to thrash in pain. He was crying as Akaashi kept his hand on the younger male's forehead.

_It'll be over soon. Just focus on me_

He could feel Kenma pressing some kind of damp cloth to his side, a moment of peace fell as Kunimi's sobs died out to quick, shallow breaths. He wasn't sure how much longer this ordeal would be, Akaashi's hand hadn't left his forehead and his limbs were still being held down.

"Okay, I need to close the wound." Kenma stated, Akaashi merely nodded, not giving anything away as he leaned a little closer to Kunimi and brushed some of his hair away from his sweaty forehead, it was a soothing gesture and one of reassurance before the next round of pain.

"Breathe normally for me Akira." Akaashi stated.

_Just focus on me_

Kunimi wasn't sure what to expect, he hadn't been injured this badly before. When the scorching heat made contact with his wound, he screamed. His lungs felt like they were on fire as he fought to get away from the new source of pain, wrists and legs being held firmly in place and Akaashi's hand on his face losing its effectiveness.

"It's the fastest way Akira." Akaashi told him between his cries and screams. "Just hang on a little longer."

There were no intelligible words in his cries, his eyes stung from his tears, his chest heaved as he tried to breathe, gasping desperately like a fish out of water. Fingers ghosted over his forehead, brushing away hair that had fallen over his eyes in his thrashing, a moment of calm fell as the heat faded.

"Is it over, please tell me it's over, I can't take it--please Keiji make it stop." He babbled and pleaded between shaky breaths, different fingers ghosted over his wound, skin rough thanks to the fire.

"Is it over?" Akaashi asked, glancing at Kenma's focused gaze. He could see the red, raw skin cooling and forming a protective layer. If his memory served right, Kenma would want to apply some balm to aid the natural healing process along. His hunch was right, Kenma pointed to a jar of green sludge on the shelves, he wasn't sure what it was but Yaku retrieved it without hesitation. All the while, Kunimi was whimpering and tossing his head from side to side.

"This might sting." Kenma uttered as he opened the jar and dipped two fingers into the sludge.

By this point, Kunimi wasn't sure if he could withstand any more pain. Akaashi's hand moved to his chest, a light pressure on his racing heart that was oddly comforting as the slight stinging sensation made him hiss loudly, though the stinging was almost laughable in comparison to the inferno he had just experienced. The rest of the time he was on Kenma's table was a blur, he was aware of bandages being applied but he was unaware time had passed until he felt the iron grip on his limbs release and Kindaichi gather him up in his arms.

"Shh." He breathed to Kunimi as the smaller male tried to speak. "You need rest."

As Kunimi was carried out of the room and towards the general quarters, everyone let out a sigh of relief. Bokuto and Yaku exchanged a small smile and congratulated Kenma on a good job. Akaashi immediately left in search of Kuroo and an explanation of what the hell happened. Hinata was in awe at what he had just witnessed, not only had Kenma shown he could summon barriers earlier but he had just treated a wound with the use of fire. Bokuto saw his awestruck face and laughed.

"Oh, I expect you're kind of shell-shocked huh…well Kenma is our healer, or as close to one as we have."

Kenma snorted, dismissing the title immediately. "I'm not a healer. I'm an alchemist who knows rudimentary magic that happens to save lives occasionally--"

"I didn't know you were also a fire mage!" Hinata exclaimed.

"I'm _not_. I just know the odd spell. I haven't specialised in any element." Kenma corrected.

"But you saved Kunimi, so for now you're a healer." Yaku shrugged. "In any case, well done."

Kenma didn't say anything, he just set about reorganising his room again after the chaos of suddenly having a patient. Bokuto noted the other's introverted nature and beckoned Hinata to follow him to the general quarters, leaving Kenma in peace.

 

* * *

 

 

It was deep into the night when Nishinoya and Tanaka returned to the guild, they noted the pile of bodies in the courtyard and the blood spatter on the walls, they also noted how quiet it seemed yet there were still people awake. Suga was staring at the fireplace in the main room as Bokuto tried to make light conversation, Daichi was nowhere to be seen.

"How bad was it?" Nishinoya asked as they entered the room.

"Akira got hit by an arrow. By sheer luck it didn't puncture his lungs." Suga replied bluntly. "We're lucky he was the only casualty."

"...was it the guys from--"

"Yes." Bokuto interrupted. "It was them."

"Killed a fair few of them though?" Tanaka tried to make light of the situation.

"Those were just henchmen, if they had really wanted to wipe us out, they would've sent more."

"...so what do we do?"

Suga shrugged, Daichi had asked the same thing. He declared he was going to bed, that he wanted to mull it all over. Bokuto bid him goodnight before he slipped into Daichi's quarters, all but one candle was out, the only one lit was next to Daichi's half asleep form. Suga smiled as he shrugged his leather bindings off, followed by his bloodstained tunic, he felt Daichi's eyes on his half-exposed body as he slowly lay down next to him. Callused fingers grazed his soft skin, mapping out old scars and stretch-marks as Suga hummed softly.

No words needed to be said between them, simple caresses were more than enough as they both felt exhaustion nag at them. Suga's eyes were the first to close, prompting Daichi to wrap an arm around his waist and tug him closer. The smell of death was one they were both so familiar with, it lingered around them after every kill no matter how clean it had been. Suga was convinced it was a purely mental thing and there was no actual smell, but that didn't stop him inhaling Daichi's more familiar and comforting scent as he buried his face in the crook of his neck.


	10. Let it all out

Chapter Ten

Let it all out

 

"So what do we do?" Daichi repeated, running his hands through his hair and sighing heavily.

"We find them, and we kill them." Kuroo replied. "And then we forget about this stupid dragon and carry on our lives as normal."

"I don't think that's really the best idea." Suga immediately countered. "They'll be expecting a retaliation, they'll know we slaughtered their henchmen and they'll know we're pissed."

The air in the room felt too heavy as they sat there regarding each other with conflicted expressions. The fire popped but barely broke the silence. Bokuto wasn't sure why he was there, all he knew was Akaashi wanted some space and had taken Hinata with him to the local village to buy more supplies, so he was stuck in this impromptu meeting with two disagreeing forces and one caught in the middle. Nishinoya had left before it even got light out, simply leaving a note stating he'd be back at sundown, even Tanaka wasn't entirely sure what was going on.

"What about not retaliating?" Daichi suggested, getting a confused look from Kuroo.

"Daichi, they put an arrow in Akira. They nearly pierced his lung for fuck sake! You can't expect me to sit here and not want to give them a taste of their own medicine."

"But if we retaliate and they are expecting it, we could come off worse than just one injured."

Bokuto groaned, he hated these kinds of meetings. The other three males looked at him as he stood up and stretched, yawning loudly and clearing his throat before folding his arms across his broad chest. "Here's an idea, why don't we calm the fuck down and wait for everyone to process what happened hm?"

"Oh come on Bo--" Kuroo scoffed.

"No Tetsu, I'm serious." Bokuto cut in. "Have you spoken to the likes of Kenma and Hinata today? What about Kindaichi? Have you spoken to them and heard how Hinata was scared to death he'd have to kill again? What about how Kenma wanted to help us defend the guild but held himself back because he didn't want to abandon Hinata? Or, how Kindaichi _had_ to abandon Kunimi even though he was injured in order to make sure we all survived long enough for the others to return?"

Kuroo was silent, his hand clenching into a fist as he stared at the floor.

"...well?" Bokuto continued. "Because if you haven't, then why don't you at least _consider_ how they'll be affected by an insane plan to retaliate so soon. You're not a one-man team anymore Kuroo, there are others here who depend on you to keep them _safe_ , not drag them into life-or-death battles without at least asking them first."

Suga looked like he was going to add his own thoughts but remained silent when Daichi shook his head in warning. Kuroo let out a small grunt, his hands clenching and unclenching as his breathing became unsteady. A small, choked sob left him as he ran his hand through his hair. Bokuto closed the gap between them and pulled Kuroo into a hug, at first the leader resisted but Bokuto wouldn't relent.

"It's okay." Bokuto murmured as Kuroo tried to swallow his sobs. "Let it out, just let it all out."

Daichi and Suga decided to take their leave to give the duo some space. Suga made his way down to the general quarters were Kunimi was settled in bed, he was awake but not in a talkative mood - much like normal Suga supposed - but he did nod in greeting. Kindaichi had been by his side all night making sure he didn't get a fever or show signs of discomfort, as a result he was now slumped against the wall as exhaustion had claimed him.

"How are you feeling?" Suga asked quietly so not to wake the other.

"Like something tried to take a huge bite out of my side." Kunimi replied, hand going to the layers of bandages that covered his wound. "My head hurts a bit too but eh...I'll survive I guess."

"You want anything to eat? I can make you something quickly before I go hunting."

Kunimi shook his head. "Water would be nice though..."

Suga smiled and nodded, managing to make it into the kitchen without disturbing anyone else in the guild, it was far too quiet without Hinata and Bokuto making all the noise possible. Yaku was just returning from seeing to the horses in Kindaichi's absence with Tanaka, they both asked if Suga wanted help with hunting as they felt somewhat useless with all that had just happened to the guild.

"You'll have to confront it sooner or later." Suga hummed as he drew some water in a pitcher from an iron cooking pot. "We all do..."

"True." Yaku sighed, leaning against the large table in the centre of the room. "It's still weird how Akaashi...y'know."

"Yeah. He's never experienced that before, he usually has to have eye contact with the person." Suga passed the pitcher to Tanaka along with a tankard and the sellsword left with it. "Maybe it says more about his bond with Kuroo..."

"Or...he's developing." Yaku supplied. "Think about it, Hinata's arrived and changed how the guild _feels_ , unintentionally but he has and don't deny it. Also Nishinoya's back and actively charged half the rooms himself without Hinata's conscious help, finally Kenma's used _his_ abilities for the first time in a while and added to the wealth of power to draw on. It's not exactly crazy to assume that's what's caused it."

"I guess. He didn't seem concerned really, like he was expecting it? Well I haven't had a chance to talk to him in detail as he left this morning with Hinata before I could catch him."

"Maybe the guy just needs some space, Kuroo worked himself into a frenzy the past few days and that's gotta weigh heavily on Akaashi."

Suga sighed, drumming his fingers on the table as he mulled it over in his mind. He couldn't pretend he wasn't worried how everyone in the guild was being affected so much by the mages arriving and bringing new problems with them, all he could do really was keep everyone well fed and hope the storm would blow over before anyone else got hurt.

 

* * *

 

 

When Akaashi asked if he wanted to accompany him to a nearby village, Hinata jumped at the opportunity to get out of the guild. He wanted to smell the fresh air of the outside world and feel the wind in his hair again, if that meant joining Akaashi on an errand run then that's what he'd do. It wasn't that he didn't like the guild, he loved Kenma's company and extensive library, but the previous night's events just made him very conscious of how close to death he had come in the past few weeks.

The place they were going to wasn't the same one Suga had taken him, it was further west and on the coast of the region. At first he was a little unsure if they'd be back before dark but Akaashi assured him they would, especially as they were taking Yuki and would almost definitely ride back at a gallop. Hinata wasn't actually sure _what_ they were doing, he just went along with it and let Akaashi lead the horse through the forest towards the main road that would take them directly to the village. It struck Hinata that Akaashi was relatively quiet in comparison to other guild-brothers, he was regarded highly for his opinions but Hinata had rarely heard him voice them. Then there was the whole cross-dressing incident that Hinata was never going to forget as long as he lived, and it wasn't because of the ludicrous nature either.

He knew relatively little about any of the guild-brothers, nothing of their lives before they turned to killing, nothing of how they came to _be_ assassins. He figured that if he really was staying for a while - and it seemed Nishinoya had many other concerns than him - then maybe trying to get to know them wouldn't hurt.

"Akaashi, can I ask you something?" He broke the peaceful silence between them, Akaashi glanced over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow.

"Sure, we have all day after all. What's on your mind?"

"When did you join the guild?"

There was a pause, the older male not missing a step on the stony road. "I joined before it was even a guild." He replied eventually. "I met Kuroo and Bokuto in a tavern one day and they asked if I had anywhere to go, I told them no and they asked if I wanted to travel with them for a few weeks."

"And then what?"

"Kuroo and Bokuto took me back to where they were staying for that night and I met Daichi. The three of them were travelling mercenaries and were looking to settle down somewhere once they made enough coin. Over time we all just...clicked I guess."

Hinata nodded, shifting his weight in the saddle as Akaashi paused in thought. The sun was shining but it wasn't a particularly hot day, a strong breeze was keeping them cool and the scent of the sea was carried across the farmland and wilderness alike.

"One day Kuroo went off on a job by himself, telling the rest of us to meet him in the capital city a few days later." Akaashi continued. "We were all confused at first but brushed it off, he had done a few solo jobs before and they kept us well fed so we didn't complain. Sure enough a few days later in Tanishiti he arrives and tells us he found us a home. Daichi and I were very confused but Bokuto was excited to see what the hell Kuroo had done."

"The guild?" Hinata asked, leaning forward to try and hear Akaashi's voice more clearly.

The other laughed. "Yeah, well it wasn't the guild as you know it now, it was just a cave back then. But it was spacious, away from prying eyes but close enough for simple things like food. It was perfect." Akaashi's voice trailed off. "It was home."

"...why did you leave home in the first place Akaashi-san?"

Akaashi didn't reply at first, he sighed heavily and patted Yuki's neck encouragingly. "I left because I was seen as bad luck. People saw me and thought that I would only bring misfortune to them."

"Huh? Why?" Hinata asked, how could a person be seen as bad luck? It didn't make sense to him.

"You remember the day you arrived, and how you were brought before Daichi but he asked me to approach you?"

Hinata grunted in agreement.

"You remember that voice you heard in your head?"

He had to think back, it wasn't exactly a pleasant sensation to remember but he did remember it. "Yeah?"

Akaashi halted, bringing them to a stop on the pathway, and turned to look at Hinata with a serious expression. "I'm not a typical mage like you and Noya-san. I was born with the ability to plant words in people's minds if I have eye contact with them."

"Oh..." Hinata tilted his head to one side as he processed this information. He hadn't heard of such a power really, he knew there were spells and potions that could give a mage that power but it wasn't exactly encouraged. Being born with such an ability must've weighted heavily on Akaashi.

"When I was growing up, I didn't know any different. When I found out I could do it, I was proud of it and showed off. But I became aware that people in our town were starting to talk, I come from a town of shipbuilders and they're superstitious folk y'know. People started murmuring that I was cursed, that any ship I was involved in would surely sink or be stolen by pirates." Akaashi continued, not showing much emotion beyond indifference. "My father was a well-respected captain and he kept me on his crew until I passed my fifteenth summer, by then I couldn't take everyone branding him and his crew as doomed because of me. So I told my mom I was leaving for the sake of my family's business and reputation, that I wouldn't come back until I wasn't cursed anymore."

"But you're not cursed?" Hinata asked, the curses he knew of showed themselves physically and were temporary, people couldn't be cursed their entire lives surely?

Akaashi snorted. "How else do you explain me being able to manipulate other people's thoughts Shoyo?" He murmured, swiftly turning away and beginning walking again.

The rest of the ride went by in silence. Hinata wanted to ask more questions but Akaashi didn't seem like in the mood to talk about anything. He felt a little bad for bringing it all up, but it did explain how Akaashi ended up at the guild, if the guild's ethos was anything to go by after all. They reached the large settlement on the coast by midday, the hustle and bustle of market stalls and fishermen was a welcome sound to Hinata after the extended silence between him and Akaashi. Yuki was tied to a post and a handful of silver pieces handed to a stable boy to look after her, Akaashi gestured for Hinata to follow him through the crowds.

"What are we actually here for?" He asked the older male, noting the other's weapon fastened around his waist, this wasn't a stealth mission as far as Hinata was aware but the presence of the whip-blade sent an uneasy feeling through him.

"The crow that brought us the note regarding Kiyoko's endangerment came from our contact in this village." Akaashi replied quietly. "So I'm here to find out what happened."

"S-Surely you should've brought one of the others?" Hinata stammered, realising that this could get messy.

"On the contrary Hinata, you're less likely to draw attention to yourself. Our enemies know what Kuroo looks like, and I'm pretty sure they have an idea of what Daichi looks like too. You on the other hand, are new and therefore the best suited to accompany me."

"Oh." Hinata wasn't sure if he should be happy or not.

"I apologise for misleading you, but think of this as a valuable lesson as well." Akaashi finished, leading Hinata down a narrow alleyway between two rundown buildings. "In our line of work, we have to make sure our contacts remember why we are to be feared."

He stopped at a hatch to a cellar, crouching down and knocking four times against the wooden door. Hinata watched as Akaashi knocked again before standing up and checking no-one was in sight before kicking the door in. As the wooden planks splintered and fell into the cellar, Hinata swallowed nervously.

"Down we go." Akaashi stated, stepping down the wooden stairs and beckoning Hinata to follow.

The cellar was dark, no candles or lanterns were lit making it impossible to see anything. Akaashi reached into the pocket of his pants and drew out a stone, rubbing his thumb over the craving and waiting for the pale blue light to illuminate the surroundings. Empty wine shelves were covered in cobwebs, some of them had collapsed as the wood decayed over time, there was a set of stone steps leading up to the main building which Akaashi immediately stepped towards.

"...who...who is our contact?" Hinata asked barely above a whisper as he stuck close to the other.

"A man who Kuroo used to do smuggling jobs with, someone we trusted for a long time." Akaashi replied, making it to the top of the stairs and pausing to listen at the door. When he concluded no-one was on the other side, he opened the door into the hallway. Much like the cellar, it was dark and deserted.

"And why are we checking on him?"

"Because i want to know why he told us about a dragon when he shouldn't have known about our ties to her." Akaashi grunted, shining the light into one of the rooms and coming to an uneasy conclusion. "Foul play."

"Huh?"

"Blood on the floor." He pointed to a small pool of dark liquid just inside the doorway. "I think someone beat us to it."

It didn't take long for him to confirm his suspicions, after checking four more rooms each in a state of disarray after being ransacked, he found the mutilated body of their contact. His face had been beaten beyond recognition, wrists and ankles bound by heavy rope to keep him in place whilst it happened. Hinata let out a yelp when he saw it, Akaashi gently took him by the shoulders and made him meet his gaze.

"Hinata, this is the brutal reality of the guild's line of work." He stated. "I'm not saying you have to inflict this kind of pain, but you will have to get used to seeing it, we cannot prevent you seeing it."

With a hesitant nod, Hinata gently pushed Akaashi's hands away and swallowed. Like it or not, he was part of an assassin's guild and death seemed to be an ever present threat.

"So...now what?" He asked as Akaashi went back to evaluating the situation.

"Well, I have an idea of who is responsible for this. Kuroo's not gonna like it one bit." Akaashi sighed, glancing around and fixing his gaze on the upturned writing desk, he padded over and rifled through the papers that had been strewn around, most of them were shipping manifestos and letters to merchants in bigger cities. "Hinata, help me look through these and see if you can find anything relating to a group called 'The Blue Serpents' will you?"

"Okay..."

"I'll be right back, I'll need to check his personal items to recover something."

Hinata nodded, trying to forget about the dead body in the room as he rummaged through old parchment and letters. Akaashi made a beeline for what he knew was the contact's personal quarters, it had been ransacked like the rest of the building but he knew what he was looking for. A painting on the wall of a sail ship was crooked but still hanging on its hook, he carefully removed it and found the vault behind it. He knew it was unlocked, it always was, as he opened the wooden hatch. The only item that was ever in there sat in a small box. He picked it up and pocketed it without a second glance, it wasn't for him to look at anyway.

"Find anything?" He asked as he returned to Hinata.

"Yeah, this." The younger male held up a letter with the same wax seal on the bottom as the note that had arrived at the guild sported. "Who are they anyway?"

"Trouble. That's what they are." Akaashi grunted as he scanned the contents of the letter. "We encountered them on that job, the one where you...anyway. They have it out for Kuroo after an incident last year, every time we've run into them there's been bloodshed, thankfully we've come out on top each time but it's not going to last for much longer."

"Huh...are they the ones that attacked us last night?"

"Yep."

Hinata frowned. "Are they assassins too?"

Akaashi snorted. "No. They're just bloodthirsty tyrants, employed by someone much more...cunning. It's not for you to worry too much about. The point is, Kuroo is out for their blood after last night. I figured getting to the bottom of this," He held up the letter "would help. In reality, it's just made things more complicated."

"Why, what does the letter mean?"

Akaashi wasn't entirely sure. It wasn't an outright betrayal like he feared, but their contact had definitely been in negotiations with the serpents for some time. Either way he was dead now and their enemies were probably regrouping to attack again.

"Can't we just move the guild?" Hinata asked abruptly. "They'd have to find us again so it would buy us time to think about what to do."

The older male shook his head. "Moving the guild is out of the question..." He trailed off, thinking more into it as he pocketed the letter. "But taking a trip...somewhere for an extended period of time..."

Hinata raised an eyebrow.

"You may have just given me an idea." Akaashi smiled. "Come on, we need to get out of here before someone comes looking for him and assumes we did the dirty work."

 

* * *

 

 

"So that's what I think." Nishinoya sighed, leaning back on his hands and looking up at the sky. The sun was shining brightly but the mountain breeze was keeping things cool. "I think we should just try and figure it out ourselves."

Kiyoko regarded him silently at first, shifting her tail on the pebbles and letting the tip fall into the lake. "I think you're being too rash. Give them more time, Kuroo mainly. You said you believe Sugawara and Daichi will agree to help no?"

"Yeah, Suga said he was willing to do what he could, Daichi was interested in finding out how this happened but Kuroo is just...he's convinced that you're bringing trouble to the guild."

"I can understand that." She replied. "A dragon shows up on his doorstep and then a day later a group of bandits attack his family."

"But you're a human first and foremost, you're just stuck in that form."

A low rumble left her, a hum in agreement as well as thought. "In any case, there is no rush to cure me Nishinoya, let them take their time. If they want to deal with these bandits first then I can wait longer. I don't want to be a burden."

"Nonsense." Nishinoya stood up abruptly. "You told me you were forced into that form against your will, that you don't remember how but someone _forced_ you to become something you're not. To me, it sounds like it’s the guild's _duty_ to help you. Kuroo was the one who founded the guild on that principle!"

"Don't argue unnecessarily with him." Kiyoko hummed. "He's got a lot to consider."

"I won't. I'll just talk to Akaashi instead, he'll be able to talk him into it." Nishinoya grinned.

"As long as you don't upset the guild's power balance on my part..."

"I won't, it's all gonna be alright. We'll figure it out Kiyoko, don’t worry."

 

* * *

 

 

Kuroo's eyes widened as Akaashi dropped the locket into his palm. No words were said as the older male's fingers closed around it and let out a heavy sigh. Bokuto and Daichi exchanged a glance across the armoury as Akaashi covered Kuroo's hand with his own.

"How..." Kuroo breathed, searching for answers in Akaashi's coal-like eyes.

"Beaten horribly." Akaashi replied. "I'm sorry."

"...was it them?"

"I can't be sure, but I assume so. Hinata found a letter referring to them, it seems he was in...he was exchanging letters with them frequently."

Kuroo's fingers relaxed, unfurling and rubbing his thumb over the locket. He swallowed as he opened it, a small sketch of a tavern sat where most would place a picture of their lover. It made Kuroo smile slightly as he recalled a distant memory, but that did little to soften the blow.

"In any case, Hinata suggested something I think is worth considering." Akaashi continued, glancing at Daichi briefly. "He suggested we leave the guild for a small amount of time, not forever, just a while to throw them off our scent."

"Where? There's nowhere else for us to go." Kuroo replied.

"There is though." Akaashi stated. "Well, we might have. Nishinoya wants us to help Kiyoko, and I'm assuming to reverse this curse we're going to have to travel somewhere."

"No." Kuroo said bluntly. "We're not doing this."

"Kuroo--"

"Keiji, she is _literally cursed_ and since she arrived she's brought nothing but misfortune to us, I'm not about to--"

"People said that about me too Tetsurou." Akaashi snapped, hands clenching into fists as he took a step back. "Or have you forgotten that?"

Bokuto looked between them, wanting to step in but not sure how to go about it, Daichi rubbed his forehead and sighed slightly as Kuroo just stared at Akaashi, mouth opening and closing as he tried to put his thoughts into words.

"Keiji I--"

"Don't." Akaashi uttered, turning away and running a hand through his hair. "Just do me a favour and remember how this guild started before you try to tell the rest of us what's good for it. Remember what you told us about providing a place for those who need it, for those with nowhere else to go. Remember that, reconsider her situation, and _then_ try to apologise to me."

Kuroo was speechless, watching as Akaashi excused himself from the conversation and disappeared into the kitchen. A stony silence fell as he stared at the closed door. He wasn't sure what to do, how to feel, how to _fix_ everything. He glanced down at his hand, clutching the locket before pocketing it. No-one said anything as he paced the room, simply watching as he rubbed his forehead and sighed heavily. It felt like an eternity had passed before he spoke;

"Okay." He breathed. "Daichi, do you think we should help the girl?"

"I do." Daichi replied, trying to hide how relieved he was that Kuroo seemed to be considering it finally. "I also think getting away from the guild would do us all some good, we've not really left it since we moved here."

"Okay. I'm going to go and talk to Kenma about counter curses and such...Bo,"

"Yes?"

"Talk to Keiji, I...I don't want him hating me."

"I'm sure he doesn't hate you bro, but okay." Bokuto smiled, stepping forward and playfully punching his shoulder. "I'll talk to him."

With the others still out hunting, Akaashi was alone in the kitchen when Bokuto came looking for him. He acknowledged the other's presence with a nod but didn't say anything at first. Bokuto let out a sigh as he leaned against the closed door to the armoury, arms folded across his chest as he watched Akaashi drum his fingers on the table. He knew this would be as much of a waiting game to see if Akaashi was even willing to talk as it would be them stood in silence.

"...you don't think I was too harsh do you?" Akaashi finally breathed, voice lacking any confidence. "I just...I felt he was being so ignorant of what the guild stands for y'know?"

"What does it stand for?" Bokuto asked, keeping his own voice low so not to let their conversation be heard by anyone else.

"On that day, when Kuroo suggested we call this place our home, he said 'and if we meet anyone else who needs somewhere to escape to, a place to call home because they wouldn't have one otherwise, then they can stay with us.' and he looked at me when he said that. He looked at me because I was the first who was thrown out of my home. I was the first... _I_ was the first Kou..." Akaashi's voice trailed off as he placed both hands on the table and hung his head, almost in shame at the confession that he remembered it all so clearly. "And he forgot _why_. He forgot that I was branded a curse, that I was made to hate myself for my ability, that I had to leave or my family would suffer."

Bokuto watched as the smaller male fought to keep his composure through the very real breakdown he was having; fingers gripped the table so hard that knuckles turned white, his breathing was ragged, chest heaving and sobs that had failed be bitten back were escaping every few moments.

"He throws around that accusation that Kiyoko brings misfortune to the guild, that her being here caused all this pain, but...but maybe it's _me_ \--"

"Don't be stupid." Bokuto breathed, leaving his post and closing the gap between them. He pulled Akaashi into a tight hug, feeling the tears of the other fall onto his shirt as Akaashi buried his face in his chest. "You are _not_ cursed Keiji, you hear me? You're not cursed, jinxed, hexed--whatever you wanna call it. Bad shit happens, sometimes sparingly, sometimes all at once but it is _never_ one person's fault simply by existing. I don't wanna hear you say that bullshit ever again and don't you dare let Kuroo saying that kind of shit get to you."

Akaashi didn't reply, he shook his head slightly as he became too overwhelmed to stand. Bokuto gently lowered him until they were both knelt on the kitchen floor, Akaashi's hands gripped Bokuto's arms as he continued to let out ragged breaths.

"If it's any consolation, he's reconsidering his stance on the matter." Bokuto murmured, gently running his fingers through Akaashi's hair in an effort to soothe him. "He's going to talk to Kenma about counter curses..."

"H-He still thinks Kiyoko is bringing us misfortune though."

"Pft, no he doesn't. Kuroo is scared, you know that. He's scared that everyone he knows and loves here will...disappear if he doesn't protect them." Bokuto hummed, satisfied that Akaashi had at least recovered enough to talk again. "And that need to protect is gonna be the death of him unless we stop him. Daichi will only be pushed so far, Suga has already argued with him on his more rash ideas to retaliate against the serpents, and I sure as hell ain't gonna let him destroy himself or the rest of us with any stupid ideas."

"...I...I guess."

"Besides, if you stand up to him _now_ , there's less chance he'll even get to the point where someone's life is literally hanging in the balance."

Akaashi sniffed loudly, resting his forehead against Bokuto's shoulder as he tried to collect his thoughts. He hadn't even started to try and understand what happened the previous night and how he was able to hear Kuroo's voice. That wasn't even a problem in his mind in that moment as he let his eyes slip shut. Bokuto made no move to try and stand up, seeming content to sit on the floor as long as he needed to, or rather as long as Akaashi needed him to.

"Y'know, I never thought the guild would last this long." Bokuto sighed as Akaashi pulled away but remained sat on the floor.

"You didn't?"

"Well, remember how this was only meant to be a temporary home for me? I was supposed to return home sooner or later but eh." He shrugged. "Being a blacksmith is so much less fun than being...whatever I am here."

"A blacksmith who occasionally traps unsuspecting hunters..." Akaashi remarked, smiling slightly.

"Still can't believe Suga of all people was the one to get caught in my trap." Bokuto chuckled. "He looked like he was going to kill me."

"Didn't he almost punch you?"

"He _did_ punch me, in the shoulder, after I freed him and offered to bring him back here."

"Do you want to go home?" Akaashi asked quietly. "You still have a home to go to after all, would be a shame for you to not at least visit."

Bokuto shrugged. "I mean if we're passing by then sure I'll drop in, but my place is here now. Someone's gotta keep everyone looking on the bright side eh?"

Akaashi wouldn't say it out loud, but he was happy Bokuto wasn't going anywhere. With so much uncertainty in the guild currently, he needed at least one constant comfort. The sound of the outer door opening prompted them both to glance at the door, Yaku waltzed in carrying several rabbit carcasses and gave them both a strange look.

"Why are you sat on the kitchen floor?" He asked, somewhat amused as he set the fresh kills on the table.

"Uhm--" Akaashi uttered.

"Why not?" Bokuto cut in, grinning as he leaned back against a crate of vegetables. "Is it a crime?"

"No..." Yaku replied slowly, looking between them both. "It's just weird, anyway I'm about to see to the horses as Kindaichi is uh...y'know. Do you wanna join me Akaashi?"

Figuring getting his hands dirty with chores would help clear his muddied mind, Akaashi nodded and quickly got to his feet, shooting Bokuto a nod in gratitude before disappearing out to the courtyard. The older male sighed heavily before standing up and dusting himself off just in time for Tanaka and Suga to carry in a fairly sizeable deer and haul it onto the table.

"Well. That's...something." He remarked as Suga wiped at his brow with the back of his hand.

"I know right." The hunter grinned. "Found it caught in one of your dumbass traps and Tanaka finished it off."

"Hey, my 'dumbass trap' just got us enough food for a week! Which is kinda good because I think Kuroo's had a change of heart..." He winked before patting Suga's shoulder on his way to the hallway. He didn't stop to knock as he opened the door to Kenma's room, humming in amusement as he noted Kuroo pouring over Kenma's hand-written notes. At first he simply closed the door and leaned against it, wanting to observe before he disturbed the leader at work.

Hinata was watching too, but he was also currently fascinated with a particular runestone from Kenma's collection; a clear almost-diamond like stone but would periodically glow a bright pink for seemingly no reason. Kenma had stated he received it as payment for making up an antidote to a supposedly incurable illness but had no idea what it did and so Hinata was determined to find out by staring at it.

"So you're saying this one is the only curse you know of that could even come close to turning someone into a dragon?" Kuroo asked, seemingly not noticing Bokuto's presence.

"Yep." Kenma replied. "And even then it's not been 'done' since the ancient times. Times before curses were taboo. It wasn't seen as a curse...more of a safety measure."

Kuroo hummed, rereading the carefully inked words. "Would've taken weeks to prepare, and you can't just acquire some of this crap without catching someone's attention."

"The fact they would need dragon's blood does gives us some scope as to who would pull this off." Kenma continued. "They either require the means to travel great distances quickly, or they know a merchant on the black market."

A few moments went by before Kuroo walked to a separate table, a large map lay unfurled with various place markers littering the inked borders. The leader studied the landscape as he thought, running fingertips over mountain ranges and forests as he did so. A thought came to him, slamming his fist against the table and startling Kenma in the process.

"Kiyoko said she knew it was a mage correct?"

"Yes...but did you really have to slam your fist like that?" Kenma muttered, making Hinata giggle slightly.

"So surely, there would have to be someone near where she lived who would know _something_. Like, a mage wondering around asking for these weird plants and shit has got to be noticed right?" Kuroo continued, ignoring Kenma's remark. "So we should go to...wherever she's from and ask?"

Kenma could already list off three ways this could go wrong. He shot Bokuto a glance before deciding to burst Kuroo's bubble. "We don't know where she's from though, by the sound of it she doesn't remember anything either. Besides, if we, an entire guild of assassins, show up asking questions about forbidden rituals to turn people into reptiles, I would bet gold that we get accused of some heinous crime whilst we're there."

"We would've somehow managed to curse the fishing boats, hex the livestock, brought down a plague of angry locusts _and_ caused a drought." Bokuto remarked, trying to lift the mood and getting an unimpressed glance from Kenma for his trouble.

"My point is, if your ingenious idea is to literally 'ask the locals' I'm not agreeing to it." Kenma sighed.

"Excuse me ma'am, have you by any chance had any strange mages ask you for hemlock recently? Oh? I'm the first, well ain't that a surprise." Bokuto continued, acting out one of the many scenarios that would spell almost certain lynching by superstitious villagers.

"Bokuto cut it out." Kenma uttered.

"Can't we just send the least suspicious people then?" Kuroo asked. "Like...Suga? Maybe Kindaichi?"

"We could, but then where do the rest of us stay? I'm not camping on the outskirts of a dark forest again Kuroo." Kenma huffed.

"Look, if you're still annoyed at me for making you think it was haunted--"

"It _was_ haunted."

"Was not..."

Hinata was finding this exchange amusing to say the least, but he was still confused about one detail. "So, are we _all_ going?" He asked, cocking his head to the side as he looked at Kuroo.

"Uh, well I...maybe." Was all Kuroo replied. "It won't be a walk in the park, but there's no reason it should be 'dangerous' per say."

"Well _that's_ definitely jinxed us." Kenma breathed, collecting his notes together now Kuroo had messed them up enough. "That's all I have unfortunately, my library doesn't have centuries old texts like the court mages do but it's gotten us this far at least."

"Great. I'll talk to Nishinoya and see if Kiyoko remembers where this all took place. With any luck we can plan out a trip in a few days' time." Kuroo smiled, ruffling Kenma's hair before leaving quickly. Bokuto raised an eyebrow at the other's rather perky mood before Kenma's muttering distracted him.

"God damn cheerful..."

"Something wrong Kenma?"

"Hm? No. He just came in here suddenly asking if i had any solid answers yet and wouldn't tell me why he suddenly changed his mind on the matter."

Bokuto nodded, noting Hinata was present still - attention caught by the runestone again but still there nonetheless - before replying. "Well him and Keiji had a small...argument I guess? And he was reminded of the guild's founding principles, it wasn't really...that pretty."

"Ah. Say no more." Kenma grunted. "Well I'm content, the sooner we sort this out, the sooner I can go back to my potions."

Bokuto wasn't fooled by the other's passive approach, Kenma was secretly enjoying this mystery presented to him, he had a good analytical mind on him and loved a good riddle or puzzle to solve. Of course he'd never admit that the plight of the dragon was fun to solve, but he would be more than eager to drop his unimportant alchemy tasks to pour over old books on the subject, and that was good enough for him.


	11. Cross-country Quest of Lunacy

Chapter Eleven 

Cross-country quest of lunacy

 

Yaku carefully made his way down to the general quarters, feet softly hitting the wooden steps as he did so. The entire room had unofficially been off limits since dawn so Kunimi could rest, but as the day drew on he had been summoned to Kenma's room and asked to go and change the injured sentry's wound dressing and see how he was feeling. The last step on the stairs always creaked but there was no sound of anyone stirring as Yaku stepped into the dim room, most of the candles had burnt out - he made a mental note to change them later - but he could still see well enough. As he stepped closer to the bed where the younger male was resting, he noted how Kindaichi had fallen asleep next to him; head resting on folded arms at the side of the bed, Kunimi's arm had fallen across his shoulders and remained there even as the sentry awoke and met Yaku's gaze.

"How are you feeling?" Yaku asked quietly, setting down the small box of supplies Kenma had given him.

"...achy." Kunimi replied barely above a whisper. "But alive."

"Well, Kenma's given me more of that healing balm stuff for your wound so hopefully it won't be much longer til you feel less achy."

Kunimi didn't say anything, merely shrugging as he let Yaku peel back the blankets and shift his tunic so the bound rags that were protecting his wound were exposed. He thankfully hadn't bled anymore since Kenma cauterised the wound, but that didn't mean he was out of the woods yet. He turned his head away, determined not to even glance at it as Yaku gently ran fingertips over the tight red skin of his side.

"It's looking okay." The older male remarked, trying to keep optimistic as he checked for any signs of infection or poison, it seemed that Kunimi had been very lucky this time. "Does it hurt to move?"

"Of course it fucking hurts." Kunimi hissed, rolling his eyes. "I had a fuckin arrow in my body."

"Stop being so childish." Yaku sighed. "I'm trying to help you here Akira."

Kunimi met his gaze with a glare, Yaku didn't let it faze him, simply raising an eyebrow before reaching for the balm Kenma had provided him. The entire time he applied the self-made remedy, Yaku stayed silent. Kindaichi's soft snores were the only sound in the room, the distant sound of conversation in the armoury helped ease the stony silence between the two males.

"...talk to me Akira." Yaku murmured, applying fresh linen to protect the wound and tossing the dirtied ones in the box of supplies to be washed.

"About what?"

"Anything, what's on your mind?"

Kunimi snorted, he knew exactly what Yaku wanted from him. "It's not gonna change my mind."

"What's not?"

"You talking to me about it."

"Talking about what?"

"Going home." Kunimi stated, closing his eyes as he said it so he wouldn't have to look at the other. "I'm going home Morisuke, and no-one can change my mind on it."

"You'll be killed the moment you walk into that court, they wouldn't have forgotten--"

"I know. And maybe it's for the best." Kunimi fixed his gaze on the ceiling, hand moving to thread fingers through Kindaichi's hair.

Yaku sighed slightly, setting Kunimi's tunic and blankets back in place and simply sitting there in silence for a few moments. "Why then, if I can't change your mind on the matter, at least tell me why."

The sentry didn't reply at first, trying to put his thoughts into words was never his strong suit, he preferred to stay silent on everything and only talk to those he could really trust. The issue of trust is what got him into this mess.

"I don't belong here. I've never belonged here." He uttered. "And I never will."

"Why?" Yaku pressed, keeping his expression calm despite the slight pulse of panic running through him.

"I'm a servant boy. My purpose is nothing more than to serve that brat who'll be king one day, it was foolish to think I could amount to anything else."

The older male didn't know what to say, he knew Kunimi felt out of place when he first arrived at the guild, a scared child in comparison to the older males who appeared heartless in the heat of the hunt. He had been naive and thought the kid would grow into the role he was given, to protect the guild from curious eyes, to protect the brotherhood from those who wanted to harm it. With the recent failure of the heist, the guild being targeted so openly and how Kunimi was the only one to get injured during the attack. Despite this, hardly any of the guild-brothers had actually sat down and spoken to him.

"You can amount to a lot of things." Yaku replied.

"Everyone here holds me at arm's length, the mages know I hate them and then everyone just sides with them. It's just like in that royal court; if you don't agree with the ones everyone likes, then you might as well be their enemy." Kunimi continued, eyes not shifting from the ceiling. "It'll be better if I just go."

"No. No it won't be." A voice startled Kunimi as Kindaichi sat up straight and looked at him. "Akira, it'll be like walking into your own execution."

"Maybe that's for the best."

"Are you listening to the horseshit coming out of your mouth?" Kindaichi snapped, rising to his feet. "Akira you...you begged me to help hide you when they were _literally hunting you_ like a deer in the forest. You _begged_ me. I hid you in the stables for three days--I could've been accused of treason for it!"

"You didn't have to..." Kunimi shrugged, trying to appear indifferent but the wavering in his voice said otherwise.

"No. No I didn't but I _did_. Do you know why?" Kindaichi's eyes were misty, his hands shaking as he clenched and unclenched them into fists. "Because you're my best friend and I believed you when no-one else did. And I _still_ believe that you were telling the truth even when the fucking royal court didn't. Akira I would fucking die for you, I nearly have on several counts, don't insult me like this by saying 'it would be for the best' that they fucking _execute_ you for something you didn't do!"

Yaku watched as Kunimi's relentless gaze on the ceiling didn't waver. Whilst the younger male refused to look his friend in the eye, several tears streamed down the side of his face. Yaku almost wanted to make Kindaichi apologise but this was probably what Kunimi needed; someone he trusted with his life to tell him to stop being so defeatist. He glanced up at the other, Kindaichi wiped at his own teary eyes and mumbled out that he needed air before hastily departing.

"He's right...just like he always is." Kunimi uttered just as Yaku was debating following suit. "He's a fool for it, but he's right."

"Fool? No, he cares for you. When I overheard all of the commotion in the stable that day, I could tell straight away that if I was going to get you out of there I'd have to bring him too." Yaku hummed, collecting one of the remaining clean rags and dabbing at Kunimi's damp face. "Just, cut him some slack, he's trying to protect you from yourself."

Kunimi sniffed loudly, covering his eyes with his forearm and clutching at the bedding with his free hand. He tried to keep the sobs quiet so they wouldn't echo off the walls, but feeling Yaku's hand over his own and a reassuring squeeze just made him cry harder. In a way it was a relief to finally let out the frustration he had been bottling up; the fear and regret in all his actions, the way he spoke to his best friend, the way he wished he hadn't run from his home in the first place. The weight of his past mistakes on his shoulders had finally eased a little, it wasn't gone for good yet, but it was a start.

 

* * *

 

 

"What about that guy in the south city? You know the one I'm on about--"

"He said if he saw you again he was going to rearrange your face _and_ your family jewels." Suga sighed, rolling his eyes as Kuroo pouted.

"No...not that one."

"Oh you mean the one whose market stall you destroyed?" Daichi supplied, catching Suga trying not to laugh. "And he said if he saw you again you were going to be tied to a ship's mast and be sent to--"

"Will you two quit it?"

"Be more specific then." Suga shrugged.

"I meant the scholar, he had a fuck tonne of ancient texts right? We paid him a visit when Nishinoya fell in that bog and caught the weird disease that could only be cured by making him eat raw garlic."

"...I have no idea what you're talking about Kuroo." Nishinoya raised an eyebrow. "I don't remember any of that."

"You were hallucinating a lot." Tanaka explained, ruffling his hair. "Kept saying shit like 'but I can taste colours now guys it's the best thing ever!'"

" _Anyway_ , my point is that he might have some idea about this curse." Kuroo sighed. They had been sat around the fire-pit trying to think of people who would have extensive knowledge about taboo magic, so far they had ruled out going to the court mages as they would probably never believe them, or if they did then they'd all be accused of practising it themselves. There was a rumour of a merchant who sold knowledge on such things but Kuroo was adamant they weren't going down that path.

"...I suppose." Daichi hummed. "Wait isn't Bokuto from that city?"

"Yeah, family of blacksmiths." Kuroo shrugged. "What of it?"

Suga had to resist face-palming. "Well _maybe_ they know something of this scholar and we could send a crow to them? Y'know before we go on a cross-country quest of lunacy without any clear direction?"

"You're no fun Sugawara."

"He has a point though." Nishinoya remarked before Suga could punch Kuroo's shoulder in response. "Send a crow, what's the harm eh?"

"Yeah but that requires talking to Akaashi, and Kuroo and Akaashi aren't speaking." Tanaka huffed.

"What are you, five?" Daichi muttered.

"We _are_ talking." Kuroo glared at Tanaka, Akaashi was just avoiding him as much as humanly possible. When they did meet they'd exchange a polite greeting and then Akaashi would be gone on an errand for several hours, or be busy training in the armoury with Bokuto for ages, or sleeping. In Kuroo's mind it wasn't that odd, but apparently it had been noted by the others.

"Okay, _I'll_ talk to Akaashi." Suga sighed, rising to his feet and stretching slightly. "And I'll get him to send a crow to Bokuto's family _before_ we plan any trips."

"Okay, you go do that." Daichi nodded, waving Suga off.

The hunter nodded and escaped the madness that was the conversation. He made his way to Kenma's room where he knew Akaashi was residing that day, walking in and closing the door before really taking stock of the situation. Hinata and Akaashi were sat on the floor, scraps of string and leather lay on the floorboards between them as the older male focused intently on something in his hands. Kenma was watching from behind his table, attention switching between Akaashi and the texts in front of him. None of them really noticed Suga standing there and he wasn't in a hurry to shatter the peaceful silence.

Akaashi finished what he was doing, letting out a small sigh and smiled as he held his hand up in front of Hinata, the red runestone the other had been given by Suga could now be worn as a pendant; a thin leather cord winding around the stone and criss-crossing over itself to keep the stone from slipping before being securely tied to a thicker cord that would go over Hinata's head. Hinata's eyes widened as he grinned and took it eagerly, slipping it over his head and letting the stone fall against his collarbone.

"How does it feel?" Akaashi asked, a fond smile on his face as Hinata grinned even more.

"Great! Thanks Akaashi-senpai!" Hinata replied, effectively tackling the other in a hug that left them sprawled out on the floor. Suga hadn't seen Akaashi smile like that in a while and found himself mirroring it as he watched the two males. They noticed his presence, Akaashi clearing his throat and standing up to see what Suga wanted.

"We need you to send a crow to Kōshi, Bokuto's home city." Suga replied. "Kuroo thinks a scholar there might be able to help us but I want confirmation that such a person exists."

Akaashi considered it for a moment. "Yeah, okay. You got a note or do you want me to make it up?"

"I'll do it, do you have a crow that knows the way?"

"Eh, they all do." Akaashi shrugged, making his way over to the cage in the room that was currently in use, the bird eyed him curiously as he approached and tapped the iron bars of the cage. "Kōshi."

It screeched at him, hopping up and down on its perch in affirmation. It was a mystery to most of the guild-brothers how Akaashi trained his birds, Bokuto was convinced he was a bird whisperer and kept asking to know his secrets. Each time the other would laugh and shake his head, adamant that he didn't need to 'whisper' as such, but just imprint an image of their destination into the bird's mind. He preferred to use crows as they were renowned for their intelligence and the few he had trained were incredibly loyal to him.

"See? He'll be fine." Akaashi remarked. "Just give me the letter and I'll send him off this evening. With any luck, he'll return by dusk tomorrow."

Suga nodded, slowly approaching Kenma and asking for some spare parchment and ink. As much as he loved to leave most of the guild running to Kuroo and Daichi, sometimes he felt he had to intervene in order to get things done properly and without endangering the guild any more than it already was. As if the latter was even possible at this stage.

 

* * *

 

 

Daichi hummed softly as he glanced over the ageing map of the land for the fifth time since he had retreated to his quarters, Kuroo glanced over his shoulder and mimicked the sound, getting a slight dig to his ribs for his trouble by the other leader.

"So we go south to Kōshi, talk to this scholar dude...then what?" Daichi asked, following the carefully inked road south to the large harbour city.

"Nishinoya's gone to confirm where Kiyoko is from," Kuroo replied. "going by what Tanaka told me, she comes from somewhere on the eastern coast."

"That narrows it down to three towns and half a dozen villages."

"Yeah, and that's assuming that's where she was cursed in the first place." Kuroo sighed, turning his attention to the other table where Kenma had 'helpfully' dumped his notes on the matter in a messy pile. "Though half of these curses require all sorts of weird crap to pull off, including but not limited to; legendary fountains, statues of old gods, a freaking _volcano_ and a flock of sheep."

"Sounds like a lot of _baaaad_ magic."

"Shut the fuck up Sawamura." Kuroo tried to hold in his laughter and failed, having to take a few moments to recompose himself.

The two males shared a small exhausted sigh, sitting on the edge of Daichi's large bed as they mulled over their thoughts. It wasn't the first time they had been reduced to this silence whilst planning a journey, this wasn't even the most ambitious job they'd taken, but it was certainly unlike any other they had taken before.

"Say, why _did_ you change your stance on the whole thing?" Daichi asked, he already knew half the answer but wanting to hear Kuroo say it.

The other wasn't fooled, he shook his head as he let out a small chuckle. "You know why, Keiji basically slapped some sense into me."

"Is that all?" Daichi hummed, expecting there to be more to it. Kuroo paused for a moment, rubbing his chin as he thought.

"Well, he's right; when you and I founded this place I did say that is was a place for those who needed to escape, a sanctuary as it were." Kuroo's hand moved to rub the back of his neck as he continued. "I mean I still have a bad feeling about it, but we spend so many nights taking lives away...maybe this is like some kind of way to balance the books."

"Talking like that reminds me of the early days, remember that cargo ship we stole out of Kawamura?"

"Sailed it all the way upstream until we beached it in a cove, ripped the last page out of the captain's log and stole the entire vault's contents."

"And then you nearly got arrested trying to sell off that battle-axe." Daichi remarked, raising an eyebrow at Kuroo as the memories flooded back.

"Hey, it had a fucking huge diamond in the pommel, of _course_ I nearly got arrested!" Kuroo protested, nudging Daichi in the ribs. " _You_ were the one who nearly pissed himself when the guards drew their swords at us."

"Yeah, because I wasn't used to being a wanted criminal at the time!"

"Psh, even Bokuto knew _not_ to panic and that I would handle everything."

"No, Bokuto had already started running, Akaashi was debating whether or not to follow him or murder the guards outright. I was the only one who was behaving _normally_ given the situation!"

They both began to laugh at the memory, it had been one of many adventures they had shared before they settled down and made the cave into the guild that was now their home. Even if they didn't necessarily see eye-to-eye on some matters, they both knew the other would always be there to back them up in a pinch. They had been stuck in too many near-death situations and on the verge of getting arrested countless times to not trust each other in that regard.

"But remember that time we got caught in the rainstorm and Bokuto's great idea was to hide in that cave?" Kuroo asked once he stopped laughing long enough to speak.

"And there was an angry as fuck bear living there?"

"No--oh my god that story though--" Kuroo broke off into another fit of laughter "no I was talking about the time that the cave flooded whilst we were trying to light a fire and you threatened to use Bo's hair as kindling for a fire because it was his damn idea in the first place."

Daichi clutched his side as he laughed, shaking his head as Kuroo quickly followed suit. "No, but his _response_ was something like 'not being funny Daichi, but I haven't got _much_ hair for you to use' and that's what made it all the more--"

"Bokuto-like?"

"Ridiculous was what I was going to say but yes, that too."

"I swear if half the guild knew just how...disorganised we used to be, they wouldn't take us seriously."

"You think they take us seriously _now_?" Daichi remarked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well I mean they take _you_ seriously." Kuroo sighed. "I'm just...not."

"Pah, you're deluded."

"I mean you said so yourself, this whole Akaashi and I not talking thing--"

Daichi reached out and ruffled Kuroo's hair, much to the older male's irritation but he allowed it with a light chuckle. "Hey, he doesn't hate you okay? Suga and I have had major arguments over stupid shit--"

"You and Suga aren't...y'know, you're just really good friends who happen to share a bed a lot. Keiji is...I see him in a different way, y'know?" Kuroo hummed, gaze flicking to his hands where he had started twisting the ring on his finger, the ring that held so much sentimental value to him. Daichi's gaze followed Kuroo's and made the assumption.

"...really? You think of him like that?

"I...I think so...is that weird? Like sure we've slept together multiple times but those were all just...not what this means." He slipped the ring off his finger and held it in his palm. "This means something else entirely."

"Does it?"

"...it's my mom's commitment ring Daichi. I'm not about to give it away to just anyone." Kuroo's voice was quiet, airing on the side of shy. "And sometimes I feel like Keiji needs reminding that...people care about him. That _I_ care about him...a lot..."

The other guild leader was quiet, watching Kuroo now twirling the ring around his fingers in thought. "How long?"

"Hm?"

"How long have you felt that way?"

Kuroo shrugged, he didn't know specifically, he just knew that he had started worrying more for Akaashi's well-being than most of their other guild-brothers. That he didn't want to let the other go off on dangerous jobs alone, that he wanted Akaashi to stop feeling this burden he always carried within himself. He didn't know how he would even try to solve the last one, perhaps through holding him every night as he slept. By making sure he was always well fed and happy, maybe even taking him back to see his family before it was too late. Kuroo wasn't sure what the future held, especially in their line of work, but he was definitely sure he wanted Akaashi to be a part of it regardless of what happened.

"Well, in any case you have my support." Daichi eventually broke the silence. "Though when we set up the guild I had no idea that I'd have to deal with...anyway, we have a trip to plan Tetsurou."

"Yeah." Kuroo smiled, slipping the ring back on his finger. "Yeah, we should start making lists of supplies we need to stock up on, or god help us Suga will literally murder us."

"Best friend or not, he will kick me out of my own bed if he's pissed off at me enough." Daichi chuckled, standing up and stretching, feeling his shoulders pop before pacing to the map again. "So, we never really established where we were going after Kōshi."

 

* * *

 

 

"So these crows know exactly where to go?" Hinata asked as he followed Akaashi through the guild, the crow perched on the other's forearm squawked a little but was docile for the most part as they wandered through the armoury and paused for Bokuto to gawk at it.

"Yep." Akaashi replied, smiling as Bokuto's eyes widened and he placed splayed hands either side of his head as if to imitate wings. "I picked this particular species for a reason, they're incredibly smart."

"Huh." Hinata eyed the bird warily as Akaashi decided they'd stalled enough and continued into the hallway. He had almost forgotten about the ladder that he had walked by on his first day in the guild, Suga hadn't let him lag behind much that day so he hadn't really given it a second thought until Akaashi stopped at it and pulled on a heavy rope hanging from the ceiling. The sound of creaking wood made way for a trap door opening, late afternoon sunshine poured in through the square-hole, the crow screeched a little as Akaashi used his free hand to ascend the ladder slowly. Within a few seconds Hinata heard the flapping of wings and Akaashi ducked back inside, fitting the trap door in place again before dropping down completely.

"How will you know when it's back?"

"It'll fly into the courtyard and wait in the stables." Akaashi shrugged. "Should be back tomorrow at dusk if Bokuto's family responds quickly."

"And then we leave right?"

Akaashi laughed slightly. "Well, Kuroo and Daichi will be planning the trip, so they'll have an idea when we'll be leaving." As they returned to the armoury, Bokuto shot them both a grin prompting Akaashi to raise an eyebrow at him. "And what do you want?"

"Me? Want something? Akaashi you're so apprehensive--"

"Because I know what you're like Bokuto." Akaashi remarked. "You want something."

Bokuto pretended to be offended for a whole two seconds before chuckling and lifting two practice swords off the weapon rack. "I challenge you to a duel!"

"Bokuto I don't think--"

"You need to work off that frustration somehow Keiji." Bokuto sighed, his comedic front wavering a little as he regarded Akaashi with a serious gaze. "Besides, I haven't had any decent practice in a while."

Hinata was a little confused as to what frustration Bokuto was referring to, however Akaashi seemed to understand completely and sighed in defeat. He accepted the wooden weapon presented to him and rolled his shoulders in a vague attempt to loosen up. For the most part both males were silent as they traded blows, Hinata opting to sit on one of the less-cluttered tables to watch his mentors spar. He tried to make mental notes on their stances, how they moved so fluidly but with purpose. Akaashi was a defensive attacker, opting to let Bokuto make the move but then exploiting any weak spots the larger male revealed, that wasn't to say he didn't surprise Bokuto with sudden parries and quick slashes.

Though for all his finesse, once Bokuto disarmed him, Akaashi seemed bewildered. He wiped at his forehead as Bokuto puffed out his chest in triumph, panting as his gaze fell to the sword now several feet away from him on the floor.

"Hit me." Bokuto stated, confusing both of the other males.

"What?" Akaashi asked, almost repulsed at the idea.

"Hand-to-hand combat training then. You're still bottling it up, come on Keiji." Bokuto replied, no trace of humour in his voice or expression as he took up his defensive stance, clenched fists and toned forearms protecting his face as he hunched down. "Let it out."

"Koutarou, I'm not going to--"

"You're angry at him, at what he said, you're also hurt that he would forget your own past so easily and make those comments around you. Yet you've hardly shed a tear, hardly slammed a door, you've done next to nothing to vent all of that."

"I don't _need_ to vent." Akaashi sighed, glancing at Hinata who was watching still, confusion clear on his face but he could sense the seriousness of the conversation. "And I definitely don't need to hit you."

"Are you that in denial?"

Akaashi swallowed, closing his eyes momentarily as he clenched his hands into fists. He didn't like losing his patience this quickly, especially with Bokuto, but when it was clear the other wasn't going to give in any time soon, he figured that maybe it wouldn't hurt to just give in this once.

"Don't say I didn't try to weasel out of it." He breathed, rolling his shoulders again as he mirrored the other's stance.

There was a pause as Bokuto waited, steadying his breathing as he watched Akaashi's passive expression fall away. The first blow against his forearm lacked any real emotion. The second was harsher. He was mindful to keep his form solid, to effectively be dead weight that Akaashi's smaller frame couldn't move with simple punches. He started deflecting hits, not returning them. He simply batted the younger male's hands away and made him focus more on his delivery.

Hinata watched on silently, he hadn't seen Akaashi lose his composure really. He was the essence of control in combat, even when the heist was going so wrong Akaashi was the one who remained focused. Yet here he was getting frustrated at how easily Bokuto deflected his hits. Grunts and hisses fell from his lips as he found himself being wheeled around. Another blow was deflected and his body weight shifted. Bokuto didn't say anything. He didn't smile. He just watched and reacted on instinct as the smaller male became focused on one thing and one thing only; proving a point.

When the kick came to Bokuto's side, he wasn't quite expecting it. He let out a noise of surprise but the actual force did little to make him unstable. The next few minutes bore witness to what started as a neat and tidy sparring session but had turned into a desperate one-sided scrap. Hinata wasn't sure what to make of it as Bokuto broke the silence.

"Harder." He stated as Akaashi struck his shoulder. "Come on Keiji, stop going easy on me I know you can hit harder than that."

Akaashi answered with a sucker punch to the stomach, winding Bokuto slightly and taking a step back to breathe. When the older male straightened up and chuckled slightly, making a gesture for him to keep the blows coming, Akaashi wasn't sure what came over him. The next thing he was aware of was blood on his knuckles and Bokuto doubling over clutching at his jaw.

"...what..." He breathed, stepping back again and trying to fill in the blanks. "Koutarou?"

"It's cool." Bokuto straightened up again, hand still covering his mouth as he gave a thumbs up gesture with his free hand. "I really felt that one."

"...what did I." Akaashi glanced down at the blood on his knuckles again.

"You socked me in the jaw is what you did." Bokuto seemed far too pleased at the turn of events to be okay, at least in Akaashi's mind. "I think you'll find that's your own blood."

His breathing was still ragged as Akaashi looked a little closer at his knuckles, sure enough there was a small gash that was bleeding a little. He swallowed as he realised just how out of breath he was, how sweaty he felt, how fast his heart was racing. Bokuto rubbed his jaw before stepping close enough to take Akaashi's hand and examining it himself.

"Eh, you'll be fine."

"I didn't mean to hit you in the mouth." Akaashi felt a sense of guilt washing over him but quickly got over it as Bokuto's hands on his shoulders made him look the other in the eye.

"Don't worry about it, you needed to let the anger out. Like, okay violence isn't the best remedy of course and Suga would kill me - ironically - for encouraging it but hey, you're my best friend y'know?" Bokuto smiled, the corner of his lip was starting to swell a little but he didn't seem to care in that moment.

"...okay." Akaashi breathed, smiling slightly. In all honesty he did feel a little more at ease, he felt guilty that it had come to hitting Bokuto but when the other had been so adamant that he 'let it all out'. He felt that he could accept it had been a good call. "Thank you Koutarou..."

Bokuto drew him into a hug, glancing over at Hinata and smiling as the mage silently slipped off the table and cautiously approached. Akaashi excused himself to bandage his hand before Suga or Kuroo saw the bleeding, apologising to Hinata for having to witness the ordeal before leaving the armoury.

"He pretends to be unaffected by most things." Bokuto stated as Hinata's gaze stayed on the closed door. "Truth is, he's always been sensitive underneath it all."

Hinata nodded. "...he told me how he left home, he did it to protect his family's business?"

"Yep." Bokuto sighed, turning his attention to the practice sword still on the floor. "We found him in a tavern and Kuroo took an interest in him, at first it was just because he was this kid barely past his seventeenth name-day travelling on his own y'know? Keiji wouldn't give up his secrets so easily but we convinced him to join us, just for company."

"And then what?" Hinata asked, following Bokuto around the room as he set the swords back in place and rubbed at his swelling lip.

"Uh, I don't remember that well, it was a crazy time. We stole a boat once and if it wasn't for Keiji, we'd probably be either lying at the bottom of the ocean or in jail, like somehow just being with us seemed to make the world of difference to his character. I watched him go from this scared kid to a composed assassin, but that doesn't mean he doesn't still feel scared, doesn't mean he isn't hurting inside when shit goes wrong."

"What's...who is he mad at?"

Bokuto paused, debating whether to tell Hinata what was currently going on between his two best friends. "Kuroo. Kuroo said some stupid shit and Keiji got upset, they haven't really spoken since and uh...well I'm trying to solve that before we leave."

"Oh."

"Yeah, it's a complicated thing really, don't worry too much." Bokuto shot Hinata another smile. "Hey, speaking of the trip, I need to fit you out in some proper travel gear."

"Eh?"

"You know, like the leather bindings Suga wears when he goes hunting? Just to keep you protected in case...uh...bears happen."

"Bears." Hinata repeated doubtfully.

"Yeah! Or, wolves, an unfriendly dragon..."

"Or bandits." Hinata supplied. "Or those serpent dudes that everyone keeps talking about--"

"Okay okay!" Bokuto cut in. "You get my point, you may be able to shoot fire from your fingers but that'll mean jack shit when an arrow is flying at you."

Hinata laughed, enjoying how the slight heaviness in the air lifted as Bokuto startled bustling about to start the process of making up some light armour for him. He didn't want to say it out loud, but the idea of having his _own armour_ made him all the more excited to be going on this quest with them, it also felt like he was really being accepted as one of 'them' even if he wasn't strictly an assassin. Though his original quest was still on his mind; to find out what the 'other power' of his was, it could wait a little longer he guessed.


	12. Memories

Chapter Twelve

Memories

  
After several days of planning, gathering supplies, preparing the horses and making sure everyone had decent fitting armour, the guild was nearly ready to set off on their self-titled 'cross-country quest of lunacy'. Hinata wouldn't sit still as the guild was a hive of activity before the sun even rose properly. Kenma had been up most of the night packing a small travel chest with the basic potion-brewing supplies, ingredients he knew he wouldn't be able to get on the road, some handwritten notes from the books on curses that had proved more useful than others and some specific runestones from his collection. As a result, the alchemist hadn't slept nearly as much as he wanted to and was a little irritable when Bokuto burst into the room asking if his stuff was ready to be packed up.

"I forgot he's not a morning person." Bokuto sighed to Suga as the door slammed in his face.

"Let me try." Suga smiled, slowly opening the door and slipping inside the room.

Bokuto shrugged and decided to go and see if anyone else in the guild needed help; Kunimi had been able to return to most of his normal guild duties, with the exception of climbing trees but that was more down to his wound being in the final stages of healing still. Regardless of his wishes, Daichi had insisted that he be allowed to ride most of the way to Kōshi. Bokuto found the sentry stretching in the armoury, part of his daily routine to keep himself in shape despite being banned from his actual job, he seemed a little more at peace in recent days and that in itself made everyone breathe a sigh of relief.

"How's it going?" Bokuto asked, noting Yaku putting the last few spare daggers into a small box and nodding as he left.

"Decent," Kunimi replied "the tightness is easing a little."

"That's good, you'll be back to scaling trees like a squirrel in no time."

Kunimi snorted, a small laugh escaping him as he started from a standing position, he leaned forward to rest his weight on his hands and went into a handstand without much discomfort on his face. Bokuto eyed the younger male cautiously, knowing it was a workout for his upper body strength but still wary of the fact he may be unsteady still. Kunimi held his form, breathing evenly as he slowly let his feet fall back to the floor and he righted himself with a small smile.

"You good?"

"Of course." He snorted, sweeping his hair back into a ponytail again after it had come loose. "I had an arrow in my side, it's not a huge deal."

Any response Bokuto had was cut off by Kuroo pacing through from the general quarters, him and Akaashi still hadn't really made amends but it was a working progress. Progress was slow but it was still there.

"Right Daichi's about to lock up his quarters once he gets the maps packed up. Is Kenma ready to go yet?"

"Dunno, I haven't had a chance to look."

Kuroo rolled his eyes, causing both Bokuto and Kunimi to share a look of amusement. "Okay, well basically we're leaving as soon as it gets light enough but I need Kenma to cast one of his weird charms over the guild so it doesn't get wrecked."

"Ah, I understand." Bokuto nodded thoughtfully, though he wasn't really fooling anyone. "Well off you go then Kuroo."

"Eh?"

"You go disturb Kenma, I gotta check we got everything we need from here." Bokuto made a shooing motion to the guild leader.

"He's in a bad mood isn't he?"

"Nahh...well, maybe, a little bit."

"He slammed a door in your face didn't he?" Kunimi remarked.

"Yeah but everyone does that to Bo." Kuroo murmured, avoiding a playful punch to the shoulder as he stepped out of range of Bokuto's fist. "Alright, I'm going!"

Thankfully for Kuroo, he didn't need to disturb Kenma. Before he even got to the door of the alchemist's room Suga stepped out followed by Kenma and Hinata. He didn't say anything as Suga handed him the travel chest - which seemed way too heavy considering what was probably inside - and ushered the too shorter males towards the courtyard. Kindaichi and Akaashi were readying the horses for the day's ride south, loading Hotaru's saddle with the supplies whilst keeping both Amaya and Yuki lightly loaded so they could each carry a rider. With Kunimi being somewhat forced to ride one of them, Kenma had requested - or rather Suga had bargained with him in order to actually get him to leave the guild at all - to take the remaining saddle.

The sun was just starting to rise, the gloomy darkness fading a little as they bustled about, trying to get everything ready to leave as soon as possible in the most organised fashion the guild could manage. Nishinoya and Tanaka had gone to establish a meeting point with Kiyoko exactly a week from that day, hopefully with some answers, and they would meet up with the rest of the guild near the local village. Kunimi was given a boost up onto Amaya's back, the reins were going to be in Yaku's hands for most of the ride so he could effectively kick back and relax if he so wished. That was exactly what Kenma was intending to do as soon as he got seated in the saddle. He was used to falling asleep in uncomfortable positions; during his first few nights travelling with the guild he had fallen asleep on horseback a few times and only woken up sore twice. However, before that the alchemist had to wait for everyone to exit the guild and cast a protection charm over it, and he was still waiting on Daichi.

"Okay, so we all set?" Kuroo asked Suga who was somewhat in charge of everything.

"Not quite, waiting on Daichi." Suga smiled. "I think this'll do everyone some good."

"Team-building exercise if nothing else..." Kuroo breathed.

"I mean getting out, seeing something other than the guild walls, sleeping under the stars for a few nights y'know? I think you and Akaashi could use the time to sort things out too."

Kuroo nodded, not really wanting to have this conversation in front of everyone. Everyone at this point knew something was up, just merely by the fact they were hardly seen together the past few days, but Kuroo hadn't confided in anyone about it other than those closest to him. There was no sense in getting the entire guild involved anyway, though he really felt that there was little point in Akaashi still being mad at him now they were helping Kiyoko.

After a few more minutes of waiting, Daichi finally appeared in the courtyard. He handed the small saddlebag containing all the maps and notes he thought they needed to Kindaichi who set about securing it to Amaya who would be the lead horse in the chain. Kenma took this as a sign to get on with locking up the guild, firmly closing the large door and letting Daichi lock it in the traditional sense. He was aware that Hinata was watching intently as he placed both his palms flat against the door, slowing his breathing slightly and closing his eyes as he envisioned a large white veil covering the door. With a heavy sigh, he opened his eyes and confirmed the appearance of the misty barrier that had formed from his hands.

"So cool..." Hinata's soft comment made Kenma want the ground to swallow him up. He was not used to such comments being made about him in that manner. He was used to the hurried thanks after he brewed a potion, the hair ruffles from Kuroo and Bokuto, the more sincere thanks from Suga, but he was not used to _compliments_ over his work. "How do you--"

"Practice and concentration." Kenma replied immediately, stepping away from the door and watching the barrier mostly fade from view. It was still there though, he could see the faint shimmer as the rising sun cast soft rays across it. To any simple passer-by they'd be nonethewiser. "Maybe I'll teach you one day."

"Alright!" Kuroo declared loudly before Hinata could get carried away. "Let's get going."

Kenma accepted the boost up onto Yuki's back from Bokuto, tugging his tunic sleeves down to cover his hands and settle more comfortably in the saddle. As they started departing, he took to leaning forward and trying to sleep to the methodical rhythm of the horse's hooves on the ground.

 

* * *

 

 

Hinata didn't mind walking, a lot of people preferred to ride through the wilderness as fast as possible to get to civilisation, but he didn't mind the slower pace of two feet. He enjoyed it really, being able to experience nature for what it was, to take his time and marvel at the natural beauty of the world he lived in. Such was the case as they set out from the guild as dawn broke over the northern mountains; sure they were heading south but as he eagerly scouted ahead with Suga, he had the chance to look back and witness the sunrise over the towering peaks in the distance. He wasn't weighed down by the armour Bokuto had crafted for him, it was simple leather chest-piece with thin iron plating over his collarbone to stop any arrows doing serious damage, so he could keep up with Suga's fast pace as they made sure the way ahead was clear enough for the horses to pass through.

"How long will it take to get to...wherever we're going?" He asked as they waited for the others to navigate the slightly swampy forest floor with all three horses.

"Hm, I'd say if we're going at walking pace and don't stop too many times...three days?" Suga replied, adjusting the bow on his back. "We'll be camping just outside the city if we arrive after midday, we're trying to keep our stay there to a minimum...though we may end up in a tavern too."

"Why are we keeping our stay so short?"

Suga shook his head slightly. "Kuroo's a wanted criminal in a lot of places, Kōshi isn't one of them per say, but he has pissed one or two people off with his antics."

"Oh."

"Plus this is Bokuto's home we're going to, so we want to give him some time to see his family if he wants, and if we camp outside the city then we won't be as in the way."

Hinata nodded, seeing the sense in Suga's explanation. The horses were all more than happy to be on an actual trail as opposed to the mud tracks around the guild. Yaku and Daichi were in deep conversation about the plan for camping that night and who was going to take first watch, Kindaichi and Kunimi were keeping a quieter conversation going regarding how Kunimi wanted to be scouting ahead with Suga but his 'stupid injury' was stopping that. Akaashi seemed to be lost in his own thoughts as he kept Hotaru following the horse in front, Bokuto didn't seem to mind as he was in an animated conversation with Kuroo whilst the other guild leader kept Yuki at the back of the line. Kenma was already fast asleep, head resting in the soft black mane of the mare as the slow pace had allowed his exhaustion to catch up with him, there was no massive rush to get to Kōshi after all so no-one saw the point in riding at anything above a walk.

As they neared the village, they got a few curious glances by the locals but no-one stopped them to ask where they were headed and the guild itself didn't seem interested in stopping either. Suga told Hinata to stay with the others as he ducked through some trees briefly, Hinata was confused but did as he was told; sticking with Daichi and Yaku as the party continued at their steady pace. A little after they passed the last building in the small settlement, a familiar voice called from the trees causing Daichi to signal everyone to halt.

"So?" He asked as Nishinoya bounded from the trees followed by Tanaka, Suga rolled his eyes as he slowly stepped out and immediately returned to scouting ahead.

"She said she'll meet us a days' ride out from Kōshi in exactly seven days." Nishinoya replied. "So there's your time-frame."

"Got it." Daichi glanced over his shoulder and nodded to Kuroo. "Let's get a move on then."

Hinata took it as a cue to rejoin Suga, Nishinoya didn't pass up on the opportunity to stretch his legs and quickly caught up with them, leaving Tanaka to continue walking with Daichi and Yaku. The hunter was more than content to listen to Hinata and Nishinoya's excited chatter about their experience travelling across the land they called home, Suga was so used to hearing everyone grumbling about everything that hearing them talk positively about something was a nice change for him.

A gentle breeze was in the air as they continued walking, it was a fairly warm day for so early in the growing season and Suga wasn't expecting such clear weather, even considering they were heading south so the chance of rain would increase. He shrugged that thought away as he tuned back into the conversation between the two mages.

"So you've never worn any kind of armour?" Nishinoya asked. "Nothing?"

Hinata shook his head, hands going to the iron plating over his upper chest. "Like, I've never needed to?"

"Huh, even just leather bindings?"

"Nope." Hinata smiled.

"How are you not dead yet?!" Nishinoya exclaimed.

"Noya don't be rude!" Suga chided. "Maybe Hinata doesn't put himself in life or death situations every other day like _someone_ I know."

The two mages laughed it off, causing Suga to roll his eyes slightly at the childish nature of his charges. He glanced over his shoulder and exchanged a smile with Daichi before turning his attention back to the road ahead. As routes went this was a quiet one, they barely saw anyone as they continued along the well-used cobblestone road. The odd hunter or travelling tradesman would pass by with nothing more than a silent nod in greeting, and occasionally a courier on horseback would gallop past on their way south.

"Wait, so where are we going exactly? Like what's this Kōshi place like? " Hinata asked Suga as Nishinoya dropped back to talk to Tanaka.

"Kōshi." Suga replied. "It's a large harbour city on the south coast, a lot of merchant ships from other realms stop there and unload cargo headed for Tanishiti, it's a pretty big place."

"Oh, and why are we going there?"

"Daichi and Kuroo have a friend there who should be able to tell us more about this curse on Kiyoko, from there we should be able to put together a more...well I'm not sure yet. Just enjoy the time away from the guild yeah? We're not looking to complete any contracts whilst we're on the road so it'll be a good break from the norm for all of us."

Hinata nodded, he hadn't ventured much in the realm aside from around the capital city. He was eager to see more of the world as and when he could, he had grown up on tales of the northern mountains that bled jewels, the forests of the south east that held many mysteries within their trees, even the legend of the ruins of an old kingdom to the far east that disappeared overnight. There were so many things he wanted to see, and if the guild could take him to see them, he was more than happy to remain with them.

 

* * *

 

 

The day's ride had been long, they had stopped a few times to rest up and eat but for the most part, Daichi insisted they pressed onwards. The weather had been nice, they hadn't encountered any threats so far, heck they'd hardly encountered anyone at all. Just as the sun was starting to dip lower in the sky, Suga declared that they should set up camp for the night before it got dark. With little to no reason to argue, they sought out a decent place to rest up. Between the archer and Nishinoya, they decided on a small grove of trees just off the main trail, secluded enough to give them privacy but not a massive hike away from the road.

With the construction of a fire-pit, the toll of the journey was evident; Kunimi was complaining of a sore back, Kenma wasn't too happy at being woken up, each of the horses seemed more than happy to shed their loads, and both Kuroo and Bokuto were asking Suga what was for supper. Once a roaring fire had taken hold of collected tree branches, Suga enlisted Tanaka's help in cooking some of the raw meat they had brought with them whilst Daichi, Bokuto and Kindaichi started setting up the bedrolls.

Hinata found himself sat next to the fire with Kenma, the alchemist was visibly drowsy still after sleeping for most of the day. He let Kenma's head rest on his shoulder as he watched the flames licking the cool air, losing himself a little in the dancing embers. He almost didn't realise the food had been cooked until Tanaka waved a hand in front of his face and then presented him with a roasted rabbit haunch. The entire guild crowded around the fire, the three horses left to graze in the dusk-light, and ate in comfortable silence. Everyone had talked enough throughout the day, for the moment they just wanted to enjoy each other's company and revel in being on the road again.

With little else to do after eating, some of the party decided to settle down to sleep. Most notably; Kunimi wanted to soothe his aching back, Suga offered to help ease the tightness in his shoulders with a light massage which the younger male was all too happy to accept. Bokuto had almost passed out three times already but was determined to stay with the rest of the males who were still awake. A blanket had been draped over Kenma as he went from leaning his head on Hinata's shoulder to resting his head in the mage's lap.

Hinata watched the camp-fire with fascination as idle conversation started between the older males. Nishinoya mirrored his interest but kept his gaze on the mage, watching how his eyes fixed on the flames and barely wavered.

"So," He murmured as Daichi and Kuroo got into yet another argument about how one of their past jobs went down. "how did you discover your powers?"

Hinata blinked slowly, exhaling softly before regarding Nishinoya with a passive expression, voice void of all emotion as he replied;

"It's a long story really." He murmured, half shrugging. "But if you wanna hear it..."

"Sure, only if you wanna tell it though." Nishinoya smiled reassuringly. There was a brief moment of silence before Hinata nodded.

"We had a blizzard one winter," Hinata spoke quietly, but it was enough to attract the attention of the others. "it was when I was little, before my twelveth-nameday definitely but I don't remember exactly. It came out of nowhere, we had very little time to prepare anything. A lot of us didn't have many supplies and the weather was too bad for the hunters to go out - not that the game would've been out in the storm either." Hinata reached out one hand and held his palm against the licking flames in thought. "I have a little sister, Natsu, she was barely able to walk and talk at the time and my mother was terrified that we wouldn't survive the storm. I remember Natsu crying a lot, she was scared we'd go to sleep and not wake up because of how cold our home was, some of the more elderly of the village had already gone that way."

As he closed his fingers into a fist, no-one said anything. His gaze softened slightly. The only sounds that could be heard over the crackling fire were the wind rustling in the trees and the occasional snort from one of the horses. Hinata's eyes flickered down to where Kenma was sound asleep, head still resting in his lap, it reminded him of how Natsu used to sleep curled up next to him as the wind howled around their wooden hut of a home.

"It got worse one night, the wind was so strong and our entire home was creaking. We ran out of firewood, food was running low too, Natsu was shivering so much even with the blankets wrapped around her. I just felt so helpless, like I needed to do _something_ , I needed to keep her alive somehow." Hinata's voice cracked slightly as he drew his hand back and opened his fist again, everyone followed his gaze as he looked down at the slight scorch marks on his fingertips. "My hands were so numb they didn't feel like they were even connected to my body. I remember the sudden warmth exploding into them, it hurt like hell and I didn't know what was happening. Tears were streaming down my face and Natsu was scared too but then it just stopped..."

"Stopped..." Nishinoya repeated as Hinata trailed off. Kenma had woken up halfway through the story-telling and was simply watching Hinata's hand as the smallest of flames spawned in his palm.

"It stopped, and then a tiny glow appeared and before I knew it, there was a flame in the palm of my hand." Hinata smiled slightly. "The actual fire didn't hurt, it didn't burn me at all. It gave off enough heat to keep us warm that night, I stayed awake all night to make sure it stayed lit, not that I really knew how I was doing it. My fingers were covered in soot the morning after, but I didn't care. I saw Natsu smile for the first time since the blizzard started as I started being able to summon the fire at will."

"So then what?" Tanaka asked, drawing Hinata's attention back to those around him.

"The next few nights were spent the same; I would summon the small flames to keep Natsu warm and then stay awake the entire night so she wouldn't freeze. Once the storm finally passed, my mother took me to our village elder and explained it all...and well the rest is history." Hinata let the flame die out.

"So your powers summoned when you needed them to." Nishinoya hummed, holding out his own hand and letting small sparks crackle between his fingertips. "Interesting."

"Was that not the case with you?" Hinata asked, tilting his head to the side in puzzlement.

Nishinoya chuckled slightly. "Nope. One day I was just fooling around with another boy in my village, duelling with sticks right? And he hit me right in the stomach with the stick, so I went to hit him right back when my hands basically exploded with sparks." He grinned. "Scared the shit out of both of us when my stick split in two pieces like a bolt of lightning had hit it."

"Ooh! That sounds so cool though." Hinata's eyes were wide in awe as he imagined the spectacle playing out.

"I mean I had splinters in my hands for days afterwards, so that wasn't great." Nishinoya shrugged. "But I've had way worse since then."

"Like what?"

The older males exchanged knowing looks as Nishinoya started telling Hinata about all his run-ins with various animals, people and magical beasts. One by one the guild brothers retired for the night, Yaku volunteered to take first watch as he didn't feel as tired. As the chitchat died down and everyone else fell asleep, he checked on the horses and threw some more branches onto the fire to keep it burning a while longer. The forest was quiet, the odd sound of a creature rummaging around in the undergrowth would break the peace but Yaku was barely disturbed by it. He let out a heavy sigh as he sat next to the fire, he missed the comforts of the guild, however it was good to be out in the open air again. It would make them all appreciate how lucky they were to have a permanent home, even if that home was currently under threat by their enemies.

His thoughts turned to how adamant Kunimi was to return to his former home. As much as he hated to entertain the idea, Yaku was almost prepared to accompany him back to the capital himself, there was no way the reunion would go well and he didn't save Kunimi's life once just to let him walk into his own death again. Then again, Kunimi was two summers older, and with that maturing he had also become a lot more stubborn. Yaku doubted he'd accept the offer, he'd decline any help whatsoever and only wish for everyone to forget he existed.

And like hell was Yaku going to let that happen.

 

* * *

 

 

"Kenma-san?" Hinata's cheerful tone drew Kenma from his midday slumber on Yuki's back.

"What?" He grunted, sitting up straight and taking stock of where they were; the wide open grasslands from the previous day's ride had been replaced by thinly spread trees. Suga was leading them through a small wooded area, nothing of the deep, dark forests further south of them yet, but it still made him take a second glance around them for threats. The sun shone through the branches, leaves only just beginning to sprout to form a canopy. A gentle breeze rushed through occasionally, bringing with it a slight chill that reminded them it was still early days in the growing season.

"How did you actually join the guild?"

"Eh?" Kenma was still half asleep and didn't really understand why Hinata was asking him this now of all times. He glanced at the male leading Yuki right behind Amaya, Kuroo merely shrugged and turned his attention back to the road ahead of them.

"You told me when we first met that you stay at the guild because they let you brew potions in peace...so how did you end up in the guild?" Hinata wasn't letting the topic go as he walked beside the horse, looking up at Kenma with child-like curiosity.

With no way to really get rid of Hinata whilst they were still travelling for the day, Kenma sighed heavily. "It's not that interesting really."

"Huh? Sure it is, you're an interesting person Kenma-san."

The alchemist did well to hide his surprise at the loose compliment. "Ahem, well, I guess there's no reason not to tell you." He shifted his sitting position in the saddle and stretched, stifling a yawn in the process. "So I lived in a small settlement north of the guild. It was a tough place to grow up if you didn't like hitting things with swords. We were frequently under attack by bandits and shit so it was expected that every boy would take up arms to defend the place - given that there weren't many of us."

He took to gently running his fingers through Yuki's black mane, brushing out the knots that had formed that day already. The mare showed no desire for him to stop, so he kept going as he thought about how to word his tale. There were lots of details Hinata didn't need to know; like how everyone in his settlement was envious of his mother's natural alchemy skills, how he took up the craft to prove to her that she wasn't alone in the world, how every time he made a successful brew her smile would light up the room and he'd mirror it back to her. Sometimes he wondered if things would've turned out differently if he had just gone along with everyone's wishes and taken up swordsmanship, if things would've turned out better.

"I wasn't really the type to wave a sword around." He eventually continued. "I tried but found it too exhausting."

"So you took up alchemy instead?" Hinata supplied.

"...in essence, yeah." Kenma shrugged. "I was better at it, my mother encouraged me to focus on what made me happy. We were living in the middle of a war-zone effectively so I think she preferred me to stay home where I was safe."

Kuroo was listening to the tale, knowing exactly what details the alchemist was leaving out and why. He remembered all too well how he had been riding near the settlement in the aftermath of a bandit raid, the carnage and suffering he had seen that day still made his stomach twist.

"One day they attacked us, usually they just stole cattle and maybe razed a house or two just to toy with us." Kenma's voice dropped to a low murmur, Hinata didn't dare to interrupt. "That day they went...they slaughtered half the village. All those boys I had grown up with were the first to go, cut down like trees. They didn't stand a chance." Kenma's fingers caught in a knot of horsehair, causing him to pause for a moment. "I was spared because I was inside that afternoon, my father came running in and told my mother and I to make a run for it whilst we could."

He paused again, remembering the flurry of activity, the smell of smoke in the air as more homes were set alight, the screams of mothers as they found the bodies of their children torn apart. He did not like to dwell on these thoughts.

"I only survived after that because Kuro was returning from a job. He stopped by to assist drive the bandits away with what little forces we had left, once the dust had settled and everyone was taking stock of what happened he was ready to leave again." He glanced up and met Kuroo's gaze as the older male glanced over his shoulder. "My mother pleaded him to take me with him, she didn't care who Kuro was or what his trade was, she just wanted me to be safe."

"She didn't know he was an assassin?" Hinata asked, looking between the two of them.

"Well no, I don't tend to broadcast it to the world Hinata." Kuroo sighed. "I think I said I was a courier or something. She begged me to take him somewhere, anywhere that was safer than that place."

"At first I didn't want to go," Kenma shrugged. "I mean who would? But my mother was adamant that place held no future for me, and with the threat of bandits growing everyday...I took the opportunity the gods had given me."

"And the rest is history." Kuroo hummed.

Hinata had a lot of questions, but one look at Kenma's sombre expression told him that recalling the memory wasn't a pleasant experience. He decided to leave him be, jogging to catch up with Yaku and Daichi who were still following Suga's lead. They were making good time that day, the guild leader seemed to think they would be within half a day's ride of Kōshi by nightfall. Between the talk of guild origins and past jobs, murmurings of just what they were going to do after talking to the scholar were being heard, mainly from Kunimi who was still a little apprehensive about the whole thing. Daichi himself had declared that they'd be spending a few days in Kōshi debating what to do about Kiyoko, but even he was a little lacking in ideas.

After concluding the older males weren't talking about anything Hinata found interesting, he continued down the line to Nishinoya. The mage was unusually quiet as he glanced around the woodland they were walking through, Tanaka was walking with him but equally as silent. When Hinata asked them what they were doing, Nishinoya didn't respond, Tanaka raised an eyebrow and beckoned Hinata closer to him.

"He's just taking in the ambient energy of the area." He murmured to the younger mage. "He does it whenever we walk through a new area, or even one we haven't walked through in a while. Gives him a general idea if any 'bad' magic has been happening."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Eh, necromancy, the mind-manipulation y'know." Tanaka gestured to the air in a vague fashion.

"Mind...isn't that what Akaashi--"

"Technically, yes." Tanaka shrugged. "But he doesn't necessarily use it for ill-will."

Hinata gave him a puzzled look. "But he...kills with it?"

"No, he uses it to get information and then kills those he needs to avoid getting caught. See there's a reason he doesn't tend to go out on jobs, that last one with Kuroo? He cross-dressed remember, he did that to get information out of the guy y'all eventually killed a load of mercenaries for. Yet did anyone he came into contact with that night actually die of _his_ hand? Nope."

Hinata tried to follow what Tanaka was saying, it was true he hadn't heard of Akaashi killing anyone other than during jobs like the heist where it was already determined the target would die. Yet he also wasn't sure how much to trust what Tanaka was saying. Nishinoya seemed to snap out of his trance, smiling at Hinata and asking if he wanted to pick up his ice-summoning that evening. Hinata wasn't exactly going to say no to the offer, it wasn't like they had anything else to do anyway.

 

 


	13. Dealing with Pirates

Chapter Thirteen

Dealing with Pirates

 

He swallowed, darkness surrounded him. He could hear sounds of movement but was unsure what it was as his hand went to his sword. His instincts told him he was in danger, yet his senses could do little to back up that claim. He dared to exhale as he tried to make out any details in the darkness, it was like he was surrounded by dense fog; the air felt heavy enough for it, but there was no indication if he was inside or outside.

It was silent, save for his own breathing. He could hear his heart beating in his chest, the small exhales of breath between pauses. Whatever was with him, it could also be as silent. He tried to remember how he got here, in the darkness with only one blade for protection. His mind was as hazy as the room felt and nothing came forth, that alone sent a sense of impending doom through him.

He took a step back, freezing as he heard a slight growl. For as long as he could, he held his breath, trying to evade whatever this thing was. _Why was he evading it exactly?_

When his lungs felt like they were going to explode, he exhaled slowly. Relaxing for a split second. As he took another slow inhale, his breath was stolen from him. His entire body jolted slightly, his hand moved to his chest. Where there should've been nothing but his tunic against his skin; cold sharp steel was sticking out, as his fingers closed around the blade he noted the warm sticky liquid coating the blade.

Blood. _His_ blood.

No sooner had he registered he had been impaled, the blade was gone. Ripped from his torso before he could grab it. Blood gushed from the wound, his hands fought to cover it, panic overwhelming his senses as he sank to his knees. No matter what he did the blood kept coming, his heart kept racing, lungs burning, thoughts frantically trying to catch up with this new reality.

He eventually accepted his fate. He was dying. He was dying alone, in complete darkness, not even a soul to hear his final words.

" _Akaashi, wake up!_ " A hiss shattered his thought process.

He blinked, coming out of a daze. The soft amber glow of the camp-fire greeted him along with Suga's concerned face. He blinked a few more times before bolting upright, the older male startled but let him shuffle away and frantically pat his chest down. There was no wound or blood to speak of, just his tunic and the odd bruise from a few days previously.

"...uhm..." was all he could say.

"You were having a nightmare." Suga stated, concern ebbing away slowly. "Tossing and turning, muttering a lot...are you okay?"

"A nightmare..." Akaashi repeated, rubbing his face with one of his hands. "...right..."

"Answer me Keiji."

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine..." Akaashi let out a sigh, he wasn't sure what to make of it all. Suga offered one of the leather flasks to him, cool, fresh water hadn't felt so good to him before as he eagerly drank.

The archer glanced around, no-one else had stirred even with Akaashi's restless sleeping. The evening had been a quiet but enjoyable one until that point; Nishinoya had been helping Hinata with his ice summoning, most of the others watching the entire process save for Daichi and Kuroo who were pouring over the map and confirming the final plans for when they reached Kōshi. Kunimi had been less cynical of Hinata's powers, though still kept his distance from both the mages, Kindaichi and Yaku weren't sure if this was a sign he was becoming more accepting or whether he was seeing it as something that wouldn't be his problem for much longer. Those reasons weren't sitting right with Yaku and he had confided in Suga once most of the party had fallen asleep.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Suga asked, being the parent figure within the guild had planted this almost natural instinct to make sure everyone was doing okay.

Akaashi shrugged, handing back the flask. "It didn't make much sense to be honest."

"Still, it might be worth talking about it." Suga said. "It might help it all make a little bit of sense too."

Akaashi's gaze fell on the flickering flames, the lingering memories of his nightmare were jumbled and also troubling. After a few moments he started telling the older male what he remembered, shifting to hug his knees as he met Suga's gaze. Even describing the sensation of being stabbed in such a blunt way sent an uneasy feeling through him. There were a few moments of silence once he had finished, Suga mulled over his thoughts as Akaashi returned to staring at the fire. Flames danced in the light breeze that passed through the clearing they were camped in, clouds passed silently in the night sky obscuring the view of the moon that would otherwise illuminate the treetops.

"Seems like you're feeling apprehensive about being alone in combat." Suga eventually said. "Like, alone you feel inadequate or lacking in skills."

"I guess." Akaashi shrugged.

"And being stabbed through the chest from behind, well that tells me you're fearful of being hurt by someone you trust...or have been hurt."

Akaashi didn't need to be a genius to figure out what that aspect was referring to, Suga had been vaguely aware of something going on between the unofficial couple but didn't know exactly what had transpired.

"Of course it could all just be a result of all the stress you've been under." Suga finalised, sighing as he reached over and gently patted Akaashi's shoulder. "Try and get some rest, tomorrow we're gonna be reaching Kōshi."

With a slow nod, Akaashi decided it was probably best to sleep some more. Settling down again in his bedroll, he glanced across the fire at Kuroo's sleeping form. They had barely spoken since leaving the guild, with the nightmare fresh in his mind, he wanted nothing more than the other's soothing touch. Yet he couldn't bring himself to wake the other for something so mundane - in his mind at least, Kuroo would probably be more than happy to oblige - so he wrapped the well-worn blanket around himself, sighing heavily as he fell asleep once more.

 

* * *

 

 

"See the gate in the distance?" Suga pointed ahead of them on the road; a large stone gatehouse stood straddling the pathway into the large harbour town, iron gates raised and allowing travellers and tradesmen alike to pass under it.

"Yeah?" Hinata replied.

"There are four in total; West Gate - which is in front of us - and East Gate are the main ones in and out of town. Then you have the Port Gate and the Old Guard Gate." Suga counted off. "They're the only ways in and out of the town."

"Right..."

"He's telling you this in case we need to scatter." Tanaka added. "We always make sure we know how to get in and out of a place before going in."

"Oh, do you think we'll need to though?"

Tanaka shrugged. "It never hurts to be careful."

Hinata didn't ask any more questions, he kept walking with Suga and Tanaka whilst the rest of the party followed behind. The last day of travelling had been mainly uneventful; Kunimi had finally demanded he be allowed to walk rather than be forced to ride Amaya, so Akaashi swapped places with him. It was a win-win situation as Akaashi stated he didn't get much sleep the previous night so felt more tired than usual, no-one seemed to want to ask why. It seemed to Hinata that everyone was more than eager to sleep in a tavern room that night.

As they passed under the large stone archway, they went from being surrounded by green fields and trees to being in the middle of a crowded street. Suga instinctively went first, the rest of the party falling into single file behind him. Hinata felt Tanaka's hand on his shoulder guiding him through the crowds of people and between stalls of wares. The crowds opened up gradually as they got away from the hustle and bustle of the market, revealing small patches of farmland and grazing cattle. Tanaka explained that the soil within the town walls was more fertile than that outside so most of the farmers worked it and settled for living in the more cramped streets further in the town.

Soon they came to a river, large enough for small fishing boats and cargo barges to pass through but nowhere near deep enough for the large galleons that the harbour served. Across a narrow footbridge, Hinata caught his first glimpse of the clustered buildings that was Kōshi's main residential quarter. Each house rarely matched up with its neighbour in height, slanted walls looked like they'd buckle under the weight of the upper floors and storm-weathered roofs. Raised walkways bridged the gaps between the streets making it easier for the locals to avoid the crowds of visiting tradesmen, coloured banners and flags hung from the wooden beams, flapping in the light breeze. It was a busy place; children weaved in and out of alleyways engaged in their games of tag, beggars sat in doorways watching everyone who passed by, stable-hands and servants rushed between market stalls and their masters' homes. The crowds did part for the party though, given their horses, it didn't escape Hinata's notice that most of them had tugged their hoods over their heads to obscure their faces.

A large manor house came into view as they rounded a corner, it was more sturdy than the small, run-down buildings they had walked past already. It boasted stone walls as opposed to wooden planks, two chimneys rose from its jade roof tiles, each puffing out wisps of smoke. Four burly males stood guard at the stone steps leading to a large oak door, each watching the passers-by with an air of suspicion.

"Who are they guarding?" Hinata asked Tanaka as the other still had a hand on his shoulder.

"That's the Lord's keep. the guy in charge of the harbour lives there, or rather he makes all the money off the ships docking." Tanaka explained. "Nothing for us to worry about."

Hinata nodded, Suga continued leading them through the winding streets until they came to a large market square. More stalls adorned the space, each selling wares from far off lands and much more local locations. The hunter turned back to wait for the rest of them to gather around.

"Well, what's the plan?" He asked Kuroo and Daichi, satisfied that they were now in a busy enough place to not arouse suspicion.

Daichi glanced over his shoulder briefly before clearing his throat. "Okay, Kuroo, Kenma and I will go and talk to this scholar. You take Bokuto, Hinata and Akaashi to resupply the horses, Nishinoya and Tanaka should be able to find us a tavern with a stable to put them in for the night and Yaku mentioned that Kunimi needed new shurikens."

"Sounds like a plan." Suga nodded, getting a nod of agreement from Yaku. "Got any taverns in mind?" He asked Nishinoya.

"We got one or two, probably the one nearer the Port Gate, it's usually full of sailors but we're less likely to be suspected of anything." The mage replied. "We'll check it out though."

"Got it. Everyone meet up at the Old Guard Gate at sundown, we'll figure out what to do from there." Daichi instructed.

"And don't do anything that could get you arrested." Suga added, looking squarely at the two trouble-makers in their company. "Including setting things on fire or 'playing pranks' on innocent people."

Tanaka and Nishinoya laughed nervously before excusing themselves, thus prompting the others to go their separate ways, leaving Kuroo and Daichi with a half-asleep Kenma still perched on Yuki's back.

"Well, guess we better see if this guy remembers that favour he owes us." Daichi sighed, gathering Yuki's reins in his hand.

"He better..." Kuroo uttered.

 

* * *

 

 

Nishinoya clasped his hands behind his head as they walked the streets. They had frequented Kōshi a few times in their adventures, but rarely did they stop by without a purpose. So as they had been somewhat banned from joining Kuroo and Daichi in interrogating the scholar, he and Tanaka were at a loss for things to do.

And then they got bored, things tended to end badly for someone.

"So, we go and check out the Wailing Whale and then what?" Tanaka sighed, glancing around in search of something to spark their interest. "Suga will kill us if we start anything--"

"No, Suga will kill us if he _hears_ about us starting anything." Nishinoya corrected with a grin. "What he don't know, won't hurt him."

Tanaka snorted, shaking his head slightly. "Okay, I'm game."

The continued walking the streets in silence, both on the lookout for an opportunity to have some fun. They weren't necessarily looking for anything illegal to do, but more often than not their wholesome intentions of having fun led to awkward conversations with the guards. Their pathway took them next to the river, fishing boats were lined up along the shoreline, masts furled and each vessel securely moored at the jetty. Tanaka entertained the idea of stealing one but Nishinoya vetoed it as too simple.

As they got closer to the large stone archway that was the Port Gate, they meandered down a narrow alleyway. They were far from locals, but they knew the area enough to know it was a short-cut to the tavern. Between the lower lying houses, a marked walkway stood out with its wooden planks half buried in the dirt, it twisted and turned between outhouses and stables before opening up to a clearing. Two buildings were connected by a sheltered walkway, a porch illuminated by torches framed a large oak door on the larger of the two. Tanaka stepped forward and opened it, holding it open for Nishinoya to follow him.

Once inside, they canvassed the bar for any unsavoury characters, they always got a few odd looks due to Nishinoya's lack of visible weapons, but Tanaka's greatsword made up for that. Most of the patrons were sailors or tradesmen from the vessels moored in the harbour, a few local residents gave them a wary glance as Tanaka approached the barman with a confident stride.

"How's it goin'?" He asked, leaning on the polished bar.

"Eh, it'll pick up later when the sun sets I guess." The bulky male replied, putting down the glass he was polishing to scratch his untameable white beard. "What's the story with you two?"

Nishinoya raised an eyebrow, declining to respond as he continued canvassing those around them. Tanaka laughed and rubbed his own attempt at facial hair before launching into one of the many tales he had saved for incidents like this.

"Well, we're part of a band of brothers from a town to the east. Just passin' through the town and need a place to stay really sir." He shrugged. "The rest of them are still in the town restocking our horses before we carry on west in a few days."

The barman hummed in thought. "Hm, how many?"

"Twelve, three horses," Tanaka grunted. "We don't mind sharing beds if that helps."

"Best I got is the attic room in the other building with nine beds."

"We'll take it." Nishinoya piped up. "How much?"

After another pause for thought, the barman smiled. "Three 'undred gold pieces."

The two looked at each other, three hundred gold pieces for accommodation wasn't as bad as it could be. Tanaka shook the barman's hand and stated they'd be back later with the payment. They stepped back out into the midday sun, the smell of the sea coming in from the coastline as they admired the view of the harbour from the porch.

"Suga's gonna kill us for accepting that price." Tanaka sighed.

"Nah, at least we got a place to sleep." Nishinoya smiled. "And they didn't ask if any of us were mages, so that's a plus."

Tanaka chuckled slightly, leaning on the wooden railing of the porch as he took in the sight of the large ships docked below them. Dock-hands scurried back and forth with cargo in hand, loading up horse-drawn carts with goods headed for the major cities and trading hubs. Sailors worked the decks of the large vessels, preparing each ship for her next voyage with well-practiced ease under the watchful eye of their captains. Most of the large ships had at least three sails; one larger sail flanked by two small ones, their shapes reminiscent of dorsal fins on a fish and all in various shades of red and green. Each ship was decorated with large, red flags that hung from the rigging rope and fluttered in the sea breeze.

"We should travel by ship next time we go on an adventure." Tanaka hummed, aware Nishinoya's gaze had followed his. "I think it would be great."

"Hmm." Was all the mage uttered in reply. "Maybe, but where would we go? This is the southern-most point of the land, we'd be venturing further away from home than ever before."

"And? I thought that's what you wanted when we left my village, to see as much of this world as you could?"

Nishinoya nodded, his attention stolen by the arrival of a small sail ship, half the size of the rest and looking far shabbier than the others. It's two sails were tattered as if it had been tossed about in a storm at sea, they lacked the bright colour that most of the prouder ships boasted in their sails. Rather, its sails were a dark blue colour.

"...interesting." Tanaka grunted, following Nishinoya's gaze as the small ship drifted into the quieter side of the port, away from the hustle and bustle of the dock-hands tending to a larger cargo vessel. "Wanna go and check it out?"

"Sure, we got a while anyway."

There was a well-used path from the tavern to the docks, the two of them weaved in and out of the piles of crates and boxes waiting to be loaded or taken away by cart. No-one gave them a second glance as they strayed far away from the more valuable cargo that was under the watchful eyes of the harbour-master. None of the dock-hands seemed to notice the new arrival, or if they did they were avoiding it. As they got closer to the ship they got their first glimpses of the crew operating her. Nothing seemed off about them in terms of appearance; all able bodied men and women hurriedly pulling on the rigging to moor the ship, furling the mainsail so it wouldn't tear anymore, shouting to one another as a narrow plank was dropped onto the jetty to allow them to disembark on foot.

They both paused, a woman stood on the edge of the deck looking at them with a raised eyebrow. Her dark hair whipped in the wind, coming loose from the bun she had tied it in. Though her frame was slender, she looked like she could comfortably beat either of them at arm wrestling, and the sword in her hand looked like it could easily castrate them.

"Uh, hey." Tanaka greeted. "We saw your ship come in and..." He trailed off as she stepped onto the plank without a word, two of the deckhands appeared at the side of the ship and seemed very interested in what was going on as she made her way to the jetty.

"We haven't seen a ship of these colours before." Nishinoya finished, jabbing Tanaka in the ribs to try and signal that he should not be trying to get them killed. "They're darker than the King's colours."

"That they are." She spoke, looking between them. "What business of it is yours?"

"Just curious, none of the dock-hands seemed to want to help you unload." Nishinoya replied, trying to appear as unthreatening as possible. "What business does your captain have here?"

She snorted, glancing at the two sailors still on deck who laughed. "My captain? Why are you under the impression that someone else runs this ship?"

The mage realised the error of his word choice as he found the tip of her sword pointing at his face. "I-uh. What I meant was--"

"Captains don't tend to come ashore here, they send their first mates." Tanaka cut in with an apologetic smile. "We meant nothing by the assumption, I assure you."

The woman didn't seem to be buying it, though she did lower her sword as she spoke. "I _am_ the captain. Captain Misaki. And the reason we're flying with such dark colours is that our guild's actual colours are much too...noticeable."

"Noticeable." Tanaka repeated.

"Once you start sailing the sea with bright yellow sails and _don't_ get caught during your raids, then we'll talk." She remarked. "Regardless, the dock-hands want nothing to do with us because we're not trading, we're collecting someone."

"Our dumbass leader." One of the males on deck yelled down, getting a snicker out of the other.

"Yuji isn't a dumbass." Misaki snapped. "And get back to your duties Bobata before I make you scrub the cargo hold by yourself!"

The two men made themselves scarce, Misaki sighed heavily before rolling her shoulders and returning her attention to the males in front of her. "So yeah, we're picking up our guild leader. He's been setting up a new business deal and didn't bring his own ship and crew, so we're swinging by on our way home."

"Huh, we're part of a guild too." Tanaka smiled, folding his arms across his chest as he grinned. "Where are you based?"

"Along the coast to the east, we just came from the north though, collected some...payments due to us."

"Huh, so you're 'traders' I take it?" Tanaka winked unnecessarily.

"You could say that." Misaki shrugged. "Sometimes we'll take people on a day trip somewhere, have some fun with them and then deposit them at the closest tavern...after relieving them of some of their coin."

Nishinoya raised an eyebrow. They were dealing with pirates effectively. He was ready to walk away from the conversation, to go back to simply watching the world go by before sundown. Tanaka had other ideas.

"Speaking of taverns, will you be waiting a while? We're waiting for our own guild-mates to finish up business. I bet we can exchange some stories whilst we all wait."

Misaki hummed, glancing between the two of them as she thought. "I'll bring one of my men, I don't make a habit of frequenting taverns solo. It gets messy."

"We can protect you."

"Oh I didn't mean _I'm_ the one in danger." She remarked with a smirk. "Many men have lost their fingers, hands and dicks because they got too friendly. I've dulled too many blades on them."

Nishinoya shot Tanaka a 'now look what you've gotten us into' look. Nevertheless, the swordsman laughed nervously and nodded in agreement.

"Suga is going to kill us, isn't he?" Tanaka whispered as they waited for Misaki to retrieve her crewman of choice.

"No, he's going to kill _you_ because I'm going to be as far away from all of this as possible when it goes wrong."


	14. The Scholar

Chapter Fourteen

The Scholar

  
Kenma hated the big cities. He hated them because they were always so crowded, so loud, brimming with opportunities for fights to break out. He avoided them as much as he could, however this was one trip he couldn't weasel out of. Kuroo held Yuki's reins tightly in his hand as he led the mare through the narrow side streets, hoping to avoid most of the large groups of people. Daichi led the way, the route to their destination mapped out in his mind after hours of staring at the aged maps. For most of the time, they walked in silence, saving their breath for when they spoke to the scholar, many questions were bubbling in Kenma's mind but he was painfully aware that this man may not even have one answer for them.

"You wanna do the talking or should I?" Daichi asked, glancing over his shoulder at Kuroo. "Considering we need to give a non-biased account of what we're dealing with."

Kuroo snorted. "You do it. I'll just listen for any signs he's bullshitting us."

"Feel free to call him out too Kenma. You're more knowledgeable than us on these matters."

"Noted." Kenma grunted, whilst he didn't have Akaashi's gift of being able to manipulate minds, he was a people watcher all the same. The back alleys continued for a while longer before Daichi halted at a side door of one of the many taller buildings. As he knocked on the door, Kuroo helped Kenma off the horse and secured the mare's reins to a nearby fence post. They waited for a few moments, the one blessing for Kenma was this place was far enough from the crowds that he didn't feel so claustrophobic.

Soon the door opened slightly, the male gave Daichi a slightly confused glance before a warm smile spread across his face. He swung the door open further and invited the three of them in. Kenma welcomed the familiar smell of old books as he stepped into the building behind Daichi, shelves spanned from floor to ceiling and formed a maze-like path to a large desk. In amongst the piles of books and scrolls a narrow staircase extended up to a loft which was where he guessed the scholar slept.

"Sorry for kinda bursting in without a warning Moniwa." Daichi laughed nervously as Kuroo closed the door behind him and their host strode past them to his desk. He was evenly matched with Daichi for height but he lacked the muscle that the guild leader showed off, his dark hair fell in curls and framed his slender face. He smiled and laughed slightly, closing the large book that was open on his desk.

"Think nothing of it," He shrugged. "what can I do for the brotherhood?"

"So you do remember." Kuroo grunted, keeping to himself whilst Kenma studied some of the books on the shelf closest to him.

Moniwa raised an eyebrow. "Of course, I owe my life to you."

"Ignore him." Daichi cast a warning glance to Kuroo. "We're here because we have a small...mystery - I guess - that needs solving."

"Mystery..." Moniwa repeated, taking a second to sit down in his chair padded with ageing cushions. "Go on."

"Just, don't say anything until I finish, okay? It's gonna sound batshit crazy."

Kenma snorted slightly, it wasn't the term he would use but it got the point across enough.

"Daichi, I've seen a lot of shit in my life." Moniwa chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Try me."

With a glance to Kenma, Daichi spun the tale of how Nishinoya and Tanaka showed up on the guild's doorstep with a talking dragon. He left out how the guild was attacked, how there was friction between Kuroo and Akaashi, how they were also trying to help a mage learn to control his powers. Moniwa didn't need to know all of that.

"And she hasn't really got any memories of what happened, she just knows magic was involved." Daichi finalised. "Kenma has his suspicions as to what's caused it, but you've had more experience dealing with this so that's why we're here."

The scholar was quiet for a few moments, drumming his fingertips on the desk as he thought.

"A curse that wipes the victim's memory _and_ transmutes them into a dragon for at least two years..." Moniwa hummed, rubbing his chin as he rose from his seat and started pacing the shelves. "Though the memory wipe could be accidental, the human body is not meant to undergo such a mutation unless it's trained to..."

"She has given no indication she has such training," Kenma said. "Nishinoya didn't indicate she had an aura of a mage about her either."

"Yes, she would've had to had years of training to keep her memories, would've started off small rather than jumping straight to a dragon of that size." Moniwa continued in a hushed tone, picking out books and thumbing through them before shoving them back and continuing his pacing. "So definitely a curse by a powerful mage, one to alter her body's structure permanently? Sounds like something beyond simple conjuring magic..."

Kuroo sighed heavily, opting to sit on the floor whilst the scholar rambled. It wasn't that he wasn't interested, he just wanted solid answers and not speculation. He dealt in facts, not fairy tales.

"Every curse is reversible." Moniwa stated. "Trouble is, this sounds like a very specific ritual. Like it was written for her and only her. So this could take a while."

"We have until sundown, we can always come back tomorrow." Daichi assured him with a smile.

"Good, it may take a few days to get through this, I'd like to talk to this Nishinoya if I could?"

"Uh, yeah I can get him to come tomorrow I guess." Daichi shrugged.

Moniwa nodded, catching Kenma's gaze as he turned to return to pacing his shelves. "Feel free to look through my collection yourself, I trust you will treat the texts with respect."

Kenma's eyes widened a little in surprise before grunting in reply. He immediately turned his attention to the shelves closest to him. Moniwa smiled briefly before resuming his muttering.

"One thing for sure, a ritual of this magnitude would require a lot of power, so there must be a place of power to draw from nearby...that helps narrow down the location. Still leaves a lot up to guess work."

"She said she came from the east coast, does that help?" Daichi supplied.

"Hm, a little." Moniwa picked out a book and flicked through to a certain page, clearly inked maps of the realm filled each page with notes scribbled in various colours on them. "Bit vague though."

"What about what would be needed for a curse, ingredients and the like?" Kenma called out, Kuroo snapped out of his doze at the sound of the alchemist's voice louder than usual.

"Depends what kind of dragon she is, by your description I would definitely say a hide is needed, possibly reptilian blood and some rudimentary herbs to aid the transmutation." Moniwa called back. "It doesn't narrow down much."

Kuroo could tell this was going to be a long afternoon, he almost wished he had gone with Bokuto now as the silence fell. He let his head rest against the bookcase he was sat against, feeling his eyes becoming heavy in the almost silent room. He figured he might as well use this time to catch a few moments of rest, wasn't like he was needed anyway.

 

* * *

 

 

"You did what?" Suga clarified as Nishinoya reported to the rest of the party at the old guard's gate. "A _pirate_? Noya, what were you thinking?"

"Hey, I wanted to walk away, but Ryuu decided to invite her to the tavern so...yeah, there's a pirate captain waiting for us." Nishinoya shrugged. "She might be a useful contact."

"Yeah, assuming she doesn't try to kill us." Yaku remarked under his breath, Kunimi tried to laugh discreetly but failed.

"Ugh." Suga sighed, rubbing his forehead. They were still waiting for Daichi, Kuroo and Kenma to show up as the sun sunk lower in the sky. It had been a successful afternoon in terms of restocking their supplies, letting the horses rest a while, obtaining new shurikens for Kunimi and managing to keep Hinata out of trouble. All that success seemed to be about to end with the news of Nishinoya and Tanaka befriending pirates.

"He's not wrong." Bokuto piped up, getting a half-hearted glare from Suga.

"Bokuto has a point, I mean with the Serpents on our tail and all, it wouldn't hurt to gain some allies." Akaashi added. "They might have heard something useful."

"I guess." Suga conceded defeat. "Tanaka hasn't gotten drunk yet right?"

"Nope, and even if he did, Misaki wouldn't hesitate to draw her blade in her defence." Nishinoya said, a coy smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "She's...feisty."

"God help us all if Kuroo gets drunk then." Kunimi uttered, Akaashi raised an eyebrow at the younger male's assumption of the guild leader but said nothing in his defence.

"Okay, the rest of you head over to the tavern, Yaku you're in charge until I get there with the others," Suga ordered, handing Hotaru's reins to Akaashi. "Don't get into any trouble, understand?"

There was a chorus of 'yes Suga' as they left the hunter by the gate. Hinata had been eager to take in the sights of the city; the crowded streets, the exotic treasures for sale by vendors from far and wide, the food on offer at every street corner and even the livestock that roamed the streets waiting to be sold. As they walked the short distance to the tavern, he caught glimpses of the large ships in the harbour and couldn't help himself.

"Gwah! They're so huge!" He exclaimed, making Bokuto laugh.

"They're from all over the world, a lot of those are trading ships from realms across the sea from this one." Yaku told him. "The dark red and green sails are typical of the large trading guilds, though I expect there'll be some smaller ones in there too."

"The King's navy sails with light blue colours, so you won't see many of those." Akaashi added. "Dark blue is the closest you'll get but they're not exclusive to any one company."

"The more luxury boats tend to sail with purple right?" Kindaichi asked. "I saw a fair few of those when I had to take horses to the harbour in the capital."

"Yep, purple is more noble class. The darker the shade, the more classy." Yaku said.

"What about black sails?" Hinata asked.

"That's a death wish, some of the other regions associate them with pirates. And white sails are reserved for the royal navy of some of those places too."

"I saw a massive sail ship with white sails once." Bokuto puffed out his chest. "Didn't come into the harbour but it did send a row boat in with some of its treasures."

"Oh really..." Akaashi trailed off, clearly throwing doubt at Bokuto's tale.

"Yeah! They had massive swords they wanted to sell off, something about raiding another ship and not needing all the dead weight."

Nishinoya stayed out of the conversation, leading the party to the tavern without much thought. As he expected, Tanaka hadn't moved from the booth where he had left him talking with Misaki and her crewman Bobata. He led the others over and gave the briefest of introductions before setting off to get everyone a much-needed drink.

"So you're the captain of a pirate ship?" Bokuto asked within two seconds of being introduced to Misaki.

"Is it so strange to meet a female captain?"

"Ignore him." Akaashi stated bluntly, lightly slapping the back of Bokuto's head and getting a squawk of protest from the older male.

"Do you have a ship?" Hinata asked, Kunimi didn't even bother to hold back his laughter at the mage's stupid question.

"I do, she's docked in the harbour whilst we're waiting for our leader to get his butt here." Misaki shrugged, not seeing the point in making fun of the boy. "On the small side, but you don't wanna be trying to sneak around with a huge-ass galleon anyway. She's fast and can carry her fair share of loot so I'm happy."

"She also packs a punch in terms of cannon fire." Bobata added before draining his tankard. "Just like the captain 'ere."

"Quit trying to sweet talk me, you're still in trouble for calling Yuji a dumbass."

"He is though..."

"Who's Yuji?" Hinata asked, Nishinoya returned with several tankards of ale which were set upon quickly by the thirsty party. Akaashi and Hinata declined though, the older because he didn't want the dizzying effects of alcohol in his body until he had a chance to talk to Kuroo, the younger because he was far too engrossed in finding out as much as he could about these pirates.

Misaki hummed, accepting a fresh tankard from Tanaka despite not finishing her current one. "How to describe Yuji...he's energetic that's for sure. Not particularly bothered about rules and keeping track of how much he spends...your typical pirate really."

"You forgot about how he tries to bed every woman he meets." Bobata remarked. "With mixed results."

Misaki rolled her eyes, bringing her drink to her lips. "Yes, there is that problem. Probably why he's late, he's in bed with some whore...but enough about that." She slammed her empty tankard down after draining it. "Tell me about _you_ guys. You're a right mix of characters, what's your story?"

Hinata's eyes widened slightly as he registered the question. Bokuto laughed as the mage looked to any of the older males for guidance on how to answer this question. "Well, we're on a bit of an adventure." He told them.

"Hm? Adventure to where?"

"We don't know yet." Tanaka shrugged. "We're waiting on that particular piece of information."

Misaki glanced around the group of males before her. "Right, and what exactly does your guild _do_? You don't look like your average swords for hire, and you don't have any markings of tradesmen on you."

"We kill people." Yaku stated bluntly. "For the coin, of course. We don't just randomly kill people."

"Not unless they annoy us." Kunimi muttered into his tankard, the statement going largely unheard.

Akaashi sighed heavily but had no grounds to argue. Suga had put Yaku in charge and if Yaku wanted to tell everyone they were assassins, that was his call. Bobata raised an eyebrow but refrained from speaking as Misaki nodded slowly and drummed her fingertips on the table.

"Are you working a contract now?"

"Nope."

A sigh of relief left her. "So you've all killed people?"

Hinata stiffened, Tanaka's reassuring hand on his shoulder set him at ease again. Yaku and Bokuto continued to take it in turns explaining the story of how the guild's last job went down. Misaki didn't seem that phased by the story, much to Hinata's puzzlement. More ale was drunk, more stories flowed back and forth between the two groups. It seemed that this was the start of a new found friendship.

"So, you're a guild of pirates...going by what name?" Yaku asked.

"Wolves of the Waves." Misaki replied with a smirk, walking her fingers around her empty tankard on the table as if to illustrate her point. "The villages we raid speak of a pack of ravenous wolves out on the hunt, selecting our targets carefully before striking as one force." She slammed her fist on the table, rattling the other tankards. "We may party from dusk until dawn some nights, but when we hunt, we are ruthless."

The males listening intently said nothing, Tanaka and Nishinoya exchanged a glance as the sellsword leant on the table. "Do you just steal or do you kill too?"

"We only kill those who get in the way." Bobata chimed. "We have no interest in killing or kidnapping. Those who join our ranks do so at their own will."

"Occasionally we raid other ships and _persuade_ some of them to join us." Misaki continued. "But never force...and you guys?"

Yaku was about to reply when the sound of heavy footsteps derailed their conversation. Daichi raised an eyebrow at the scene before him; a table full of empty tankards, two pirates and his entire guild trading stories and showing no sign of stopping.

"Ah, Daichi." Tanaka grinned. "We made friends with a pirate guild."

"I can see that." Daichi hummed, crossing his arms across his chest as Kenma flopped down onto the bench next to Hinata. "Suga mentioned it, he also asked that we get the key to the room you booked us."

"Where is Suga anyway?" Akaashi asked, noting the absence of both the hunter and Kuroo.

"He wanted to discuss something with Kuroo, he said to go in ahead and get the room sorted." Daichi shrugged, giving no indication of what the conversation would be about. Akaashi nodded slowly as Nishinoya rose from his seat and gestured for the guild leader to follow him to the barkeep. Akaashi wasn't an idiot, he figured Suga was talking about this apparent feud he and Kuroo were in, he somewhat wished he had just kept his nightmare to himself now.

 

* * *

 

 

Kuroo wasn't sure why Suga wanted to talk to him. He was just ready to drink a lot of ale and pass out in a bed, it had been a long and boring afternoon listening to Moniwa ramble about curses and mages. Regardless, he let the hunter lead him to the porch of the tavern, they looked out over the harbour together as the sun began sinking under the horizon, casting everything in a pale orange glow and making the water shimmer.

"I'm worried about Akaashi." Suga stated, no beating around the bush from the guild mom was to be expected, though Kuroo wasn't sure what was making him so worried.

"Oh? Why?"

There was a pause. Suga sighed, inhaling the strong smell of the sea before eventually replying. "He had a nightmare, and what he told me happened in the nightmare is making me...worry."

"What happened?" Kuroo pressed, he wasn't surprised Akaashi hadn't told him but that didn't make it any easier to stomach.

"I'm not really sure, he told me he was alone in the dark and something was hunting him. Next thing he knew he was being stabbed from behind and was bleeding out. I had to wake him up once I heard him muttering as he tossed and turned. I've never seen him like that."

Kuroo nodded, swallowing as he process this news. Akaashi had always had nightmares, they were, in his words, 'frighteningly real'. Yet the most he reacted to these terrors were muttering a little here and there and sometimes waking up panting. Kuroo had witnessed this enough times to know that if he was reacting so strongly to them, they had to be terrifying at the very least.

"I want you to talk to him." Suga stated, looking at Kuroo with an expression as if to say 'this isn't an argument'. "He needs to talk it out, especially as we have no idea where this Kiyoko thing is taking us. He could be vulnerable if we encounter...well any kind of mage that could potentially prey on his--"

"Okay." Kuroo cut the other off, not wanting to think about that possibility. "I'll talk to him tonight when everyone else is asleep...I've been meaning to properly apologise anyway."

Suga smiled. "Good. Besides, from what i hear, some of us will have to double up tonight anyway."

Kuroo smiled back. "Yeah, okay."

With nothing else to be said, they joined the rest of their guild-brothers in the tavern. It was easy for them all to down the drinks, to kick back and relax in good company. Misaki and Bobata were refreshing to be around with their similar brash natures towards exploiting people for profit but slightly less bloodthirsty natures. Daichi was intrigued by their talk of their leader Yuji Terushima but found out that it was unlikely they'd get to actually meet the guy.

Kuroo tried to play off how he was thinking about how to talk to Akaashi, however he could only stop himself from glancing at the other for so long. The assassin was quickly catching on and the number of times they ended up staring at each other was getting too high for either of their likings. Thankfully for them, Daichi declared that he was heading to bed, so naturally most of the guild-brothers agreed to do the same.

"We'll be in touch though if we hear anything interesting." Misaki offered her hand to Daichi. "We know how to contact you, just go to the courier hall and ask to send a crow to the Northern Lakehouse, right?"

Daichi nodded, the codename for the guild that was known across the realm but only the birds themselves knew where they were going. "Yeah, try to sign the note off with an alias if possible, can't be too careful."

"Of course, well good luck with whatever crazy shit you're up to. We gotta find Yuji and get the fuck out of here before the crew decide to pinch some poor defenceless cargo off the dock."

They shared a laugh before both groups parted ways. Daichi led the party to the other building where the attic room was. Up a narrow staircase and through a low-hanging doorway was a large room with nine beds. In the middle of the room was a sunken fireplace, the stone slabs held firmly in place by the thick ceiling beams from the floor below. A small gap in the roof allowed the smoke to rise steadily, the coals already stoking small flames. Each bed was large enough to fit two people if they didn't mind getting cosy with each other, certain guild-brothers would have no issue with this but there were enough for most of them to have their own bed.

Kenma made a beeline for the bed in the corner, set on sleeping as soon as possible. Hinata followed him, their recent habit of sharing a blanket pile seemed to have become the new norm as he was allowed to share the soft fur blankets with the alchemist. The rest of them either sat next to the fire or started checking over their gear from the past few days of travelling. Kunimi was inspecting his new shurikens with Kindaichi, a small smile on his face as he twirled the death discs in his hands. Nishinoya spent some time manipulating the flames of the fire to his will as Tanaka lost himself in his thoughts, Suga was already half asleep in one of the other beds, Daichi gently coercing him to at least take off his leather bindings before falling asleep entirely. Yaku locked the door to the room, somewhat paranoid that someone would try to sneak in during the night, before setting about retiring for the night himself. Even Bokuto was sat on his chosen bed in the process of undressing for sleeping.

"So, no-one leaves the tavern tomorrow without telling me or Suga, got it?" Daichi asked the quiet room. A chorus of grunts and murmured 'yes's replied which was enough for him as he gave into his own desire to sleep.

Kuroo and Akaashi sat with Nishinoya, both patiently waiting for the others to go to sleep before uttering a single word to each other. They didn't have to wait long, the day's events catching up with everyone and quickly drawing them to their beds, leaving one for the supposedly-feuding couple.

The younger male regarded Kuroo with a passive gaze, not quite letting on the very real whirlwind of emotions inside him. The fire crackled between them, the last of the wooden segments being engulfed with violent pops. Kuroo himself wasn't sure how to go about this conversation, he wasn’t sure if Akaashi knew Suga had told him about the nightmare or not, whether he was supposed to know.

"...so..." Kuroo murmured, watching the almost unreadable gaze for any hint of where to go. "Suga told me--"

"I had a nightmare. Yes, I did have one." Akaashi replied, facade slipping a little as he recalled the memories. His fingers twitched, the need to feel Kuroo's touch against his own growing once more. "It was violent."

"Violent how?" Kuroo pressed quietly.

"I was stabbed through the back." Akaashi shrugged, the images replaying. "Sword came through my chest." He gestured to the centre of his ribcage, right next to his heart. Kuroo's eyes followed his fingers before meeting his gaze again. The passive gaze was gone, replaced by one of unease, an expression Kuroo wasn't used to seeing on the other's face. "I was...alone. Alone and in the dark."

There was a tremor to Akaashi's voice, faint but there and enough to spur Kuroo to shuffle around the fire to be closer to him. At first Akaashi didn't react to the gentle gesture of Kuroo wrapping an arm around his shoulders, but soon he found himself leaning against the other. The arm tightened around him, pulling him a little closer. close enough for him to bury his face in Kuroo's neck and sigh heavily.

"Well you're not alone now." Kuroo's voice was barely above a whisper in the quiet room. "I'm here Keiji."

"I know." Akaashi murmured, pulling away enough to look Kuroo in the eye. "I just...I was scared."

Kuroo nodded, pressing his lips to Akaashi's forehead. "And that's okay, it was a nightmare."

Akaashi shrugged Kuroo's arm off his shoulders. Worrying his lip between his teeth, his gaze flickered to the dying embers of the fire pit. He couldn't find the words to really express how he felt, the twisting in his stomach and the slight sinking sensation in his chest were getting to him slightly.

A gentle hand came up and cupped his cheek, coaxing him to turn his gaze back to Kuroo. He leaned into the touch, a comfort he missed on the night he awoke in terror. Amber eyes met his, for a few moments Akaashi couldn't focus on anything other than Kuroo's gaze. He could never really keep his facade up around the older male. He liked to _think_ he could but they both knew that Kuroo's presence could strip away the indifferent front that he put up.

"Keiji, I've been meaning to speak to you for a few days about...what I said in the guild." Kuroo said, letting his thumb rub over the rise of Akaashi's cheekbone. "I didn't mean to be so--you know. I spoke out of term and you were right."

Akaashi let himself smile a little, Kuroo often let his emotions get the better of him and had to apologise to the likes of Suga and Daichi multiple times over it. Yet this was a first in a way. Kuroo's apologies were always somewhat forced out, either by circumstance or someone guilt tripping him into it, but this one was sincere. A genuine apology for speaking so rashly about Kiyoko being cursed and forgetting that Akaashi himself had run away from home because _he_ was rumoured to be cursed.

"You were upset." Akaashi replied, covering Kuroo's hand with his own. "I understand."

Kuroo nodded, not wanting to risk saying anything else as Akaashi's fingers brushed over his knuckles. The firelight was growing dimmer by the minute, shadows danced on the walls and cast them both in an orange glow. It was easy for them to forget they weren't actually alone in the room, that everyone else was asleep but could easily awaken and overhear their hushed tones.

"You're not still mad about it?" Kuroo pressed, shuffling that little bit closer to the other.

"No? Our lives are too short to stay mad about offhand comments Tetsurou..." Akaashi leaned against Kuroo's chest, pressing his ear to the familiar leather tunic the other wore. He could feel the sigh of relief leave Kuroo.

"...good." Kuroo breathed.

Akaashi hummed in agreement, reaching up and splaying his hand against Kuroo's chest. The steady heartbeat of the older male seemed to stutter slightly at the innocent contact. He smiled a little more as fingers carded through his hair. He had missed these simple touches from Kuroo, he even missed the other's scent - even if it was obvious he hadn't bathed recently - and wanted nothing more than to rest in Kuroo's hold all night.

"Bed..." He remarked, pulling away and catching Kuroo's eye. "I...I've missed your hugs."

Kuroo's eyes widened slightly as he processed the remark. "You did?"

"Yeah, is that weird?"

Kuroo shook his head, appearing slightly jittery as he got to his feet and offered Akaashi his hand. "'course not."

It was a satisfactory answer given how tired they were. The assassin let Kuroo's hand tug him to the last bed, wasting no time in stripping his shirt off and laying down as the older male made sure the fire was going to burn itself out soon. When Kuroo joined him on the bed of furs, strong arm wrapping around his waist and tugging him closer, he let out a heavy sigh. The weight that had been pressing down on him since their argument had lifted, his worries around his nightmare also melting away as he felt Kuroo's lips brush against his temple.

"Goodnight Keiji, I'll be here all night if you need me." Kuroo whispered as he started feeling exhaustion nagging at him. Akaashi merely hummed in reply and curled further into his hold, burying his face in the crook of Kuroo's neck as he finally fell asleep.


	15. Theories & Training

Chapter Fifteen

Theories & Training

 

Hinata awoke to the faint sounds of the dock workers going about their day; loud calls between ship-hands and those loading and unloading cargo, the whipping of sails as they were unfurled in preparation for leaving port, hearty laughter over a joke and remarks about spending another night in the tavern. The sun was shining through the cracked window pane, the flimsy drape that barely covered the glass rustled slightly in the sea breeze that pressed through the ageing frame. The smell of the sea was in the air, strong and salty.

He rolled over, gently pushing Kenma's arm away from him as he sat up. Rubbing his eyes, he glanced around the room to see some of the others were also awake; their empty beds evidence of this, but he was by no means the last to awaken. Suga was still fast asleep, as were Daichi and Akaashi. Kuroo was awake, one arm was trapped underneath Akaashi but he had managed to prop himself up on his elbow and was gently caressing the assassin's cheek with his free hand when his gaze met Hinata's.

"The others went to breakfast." He whispered, nodding towards the empty beds. "I think Bo is going to see to the horses before Daichi asks him to."

"Oh." Hinata replied, briefly wondering if he'd rather eat breakfast with Kunimi or stay in bed until Kenma woke up.

"We're going back to the scholar today." Kuroo added. "So you might wanna try and tag along with Bokuto when he goes to visit his parents, it'll be more exciting than listening to Moniwa drone on."

"What's everyone else doing?"

"Hm? Oh I think Yaku is going to be scouting out the city, he'll probably do that from running along the rooftops. Kunimi and Kindaichi are probably either going with him or slacking off all day by the harbour, don't blame them to be honest. Akaashi might go with them or go with Bokuto, depends what he feels like doing...though Moniwa's study isn't big enough for several people to be hanging around so..." Kuroo's voice trailed off and he shrugged, thumb brushing over the rise of Akaashi's cheekbone as he went quiet.

"And you?"

"I might spend some time looking over the map and thinking about our next move, depending on what Moniwa has to say today..." Kuroo's attention was diverted as Akaashi rolled over in his sleep, grunting slightly as the bed creaked under their weight.

Hinata yawned, he was hungry but didn't really like the idea of wandering downstairs alone. Glancing back at Kenma still sleeping beside him, he accepted that if he wanted to be fed before noon he'd have to go and join the others downstairs. Kuroo seemed to be more interested in lazing around in bed than getting food, so Hinata swung his legs over the side of the bed and stretched. A small noise left Kenma as the bed shifted but he remained asleep, as an afterthought Hinata replaced the blankets around the alchemist before getting dressed and making his way to the main building.

It was easy to find the others in the otherwise deserted tavern. It was early enough in the day that even the dock-hands hadn't started drinking yet. Hinata received a nod in greeting from Yaku and Bokuto as he sat down at the table, Kunimi glanced up from his bowl of rice but didn't say anything. Kindaichi, on the other hand, struck up a conversation with him.

"Sleep well?"

"Yeah...you?" Hinata replied, still wary of the other's intentions as one of the tavern maids set a bowl of rice in front of him with a smile.

"Can't complain." Kindaichi shrugged. "Had my own bed at least, I'm surprised Kenma didn't kick you out."

Kunimi smirked a little but refrained from adding any remarks. Hinata shrugged and made a start on eating, thankful for the guild paying for all his food upfront. Yaku glanced between the two younger males but decided not to intervene, instead he turned back to his conversation with Bokuto.

"So I'll be scouting the area for any side jobs, might see if there are any contracts that could be picked up whilst we're waiting for the others to talk to the scholar."

Bokuto nodded thoughtfully. "I'm paying my pa a visit today, you want me to work on your blades while I'm there? Who knows when I'll next be near a forge."

"Might be worth a look, yeah..." Yaku's attention was once again caught by Hinata, this time spluttering as he inhaled some of the rice he was shovelling into his mouth at great speed. "...why don't you take Hinata with you? Kid could use some more combat training."

Bokuto followed his gaze, rubbing his chin in thought as he considered it. It was going to be at least another day of waiting around for Moniwa to discuss everything with Nishinoya and then hours of debate on what their next move would be. He supposed it could be a good use of their time. Over the course of the next hour, the rest of the guild members found their way downstairs and ate breakfast. It became obvious that whilst Nishinoya, Daichi, Kenma and Suga would be spending most of their day with Moniwa, the others could basically do what they wanted as long as it didn't spell trouble for the guild. So Bokuto seized this opportunity on Hinata's behalf.

"But why?" Hinata asked as he followed the older male back towards the city, Tanaka was tagging along with all three horses in tow, the idea was for each of them to have new shoes put on by Bokuto's father and be allowed to graze on the riverbank nearby, a much less stressful experience than having the busy stable-hands do it.

"Because you still aren't up to speed on your sword combat." Bokuto chimed. "And I wanna see how you fare against a training partner you don't know."

Tanaka hummed in agreement, intrigued by what exactly Hinata's deal was. He just knew that there was something odd about him and Nishinoya wasn't sure _what_. He had picked up on Hinata's very excitable nature and curiosity about the world around him, but there was definitely something different about him. In all the people Tanaka had met on his travels with Nishinoya, he had developed this knack for sensing when people were hiding secrets, either wittingly or not, and Hinata was quickly becoming one of these people.

"...do you have any siblings?" Hinata asked. They had turned away from the hustle and bustle of the market and were walking along the river, it was quieter but there was still a buzz of activity from within the farmhouses and crop fields.

"Two younger brothers." Bokuto grinned. "Kenji and Kazuo, nine and seven now. They didn't really understand why I left, but I promised I'd come back and tell them stories about the adventures I've had."

Just as the river started to bend, Bokuto directed them towards a walled in farm. A large, two-storey house stood at the end of a dirt pathway, constructed of white stone and thick wooden beams. Jade coloured roof tiles further boasted the family's wealth in a place there most buildings sported more earthy tones. Rather than walk up to the large wooden front door that was framed by two lanterns, Bokuto gestured for them to follow the path to a separate building; it was more stable-like in design but with the same white stone and jade tile combination to match the house. A large black workhouse was being brushed down by an older man with greyish hair, the horse's ears twitched as Bokuto approached causing the older man to glance over his shoulder at them.

"Koutarou?" He asked, squinting in the morning light.

"Hey Pa." Bokuto grinned, extending a hand to his father. The older man tossed the brush in a bucket and took Bokuto's hand, pulling him into a half-hug with a hearty laugh.

"We were wonderin' when you'd show up."

"Yeah, we got into Kōshi yesterday and need to kill time today, oh and our horses need seeing to so I figure kill two birds with one stone, right?"

Hinata and Tanaka exchanged a glance as the two quickly got caught up in a conversation. They were only cut short when two excited voices called from the house. Hinata glanced over to see two young boys running across the yard towards them, both had hair similar to Bokuto's but nowhere near as uniquely styled.

"Koutarou!" They both shrieked, startling Yuki slightly but Tanaka's grip on her reins barely faltered. It refocused the mind of the blacksmith who quickly started insisting he could see to them all right away. The three mares were led into a small paddock and allowed to graze whilst Bokuto got tackled by the two young boys who were not much shorter than Hinata.

"Hey, how you both doing?" Bokuto laughed, ruffling their hair that stuck up in all manners like their brother's. "You're not causing trouble right?"

"No, 'course not." One of them shrugged, glancing at Hinata, he looked to be the older one of the two; Kenji. "Who's this?"

Bokuto exchanged a glance with Hinata. "This is my guild's latest recruit." He remarked, gesturing to Hinata as he puffed out his chest. "He's a mage."

"A mage." The smaller of the brothers, Kazuo, repeated. "Like he shoots lightning and stuff?"

"Exactly!"

"But he can be stabbed right?" Kenji chimed in. Hinata started feeling very uneasy about the children who were eyeing him up in the same way a cat would watch a mouse.

"...well, yes." Bokuto replied with a little less enthusiasm. "How _are_ you both doing with your sword training?"

The two boys smiled in sync with each other, which also sent a slightly sickly sensation through Hinata. "Pa says we're doing better than you at our age."

Bokuto's owlish eyes widened. "I don't believe that." He pouted, folding his arms across his chest.

"Uh-huh, and he says we could defeat any of the city guards in a duel." Kazuo insisted, smile widening as Bokuto played along.

"Oh did he now?" The oldest of the brothers teased. "Huh, well I got a bet for you both then."

Tanaka had returned just in time to hear Bokuto agree that if both his little brothers could beat both Hinata and Tanaka in a duel, he'd go and buy them treats from the baker. Even for a seasoned sellsword like Tanaka, the prospect of going against two younger - almost definitely more-feisty - versions of Bokuto was enough to make his stomach turn.

And he wasn't the one who could shoot fire from his fingers.

 

* * *

 

 

As much as Nishinoya loved adventures, this part was always the most tedious. He loved exploring new places, talking to new people, fighting new creatures that tried to kill him. What he didn't like, was being stuck in dusty libraries trying to find out every tiny detail of taboo rituals. He was interested, yes, but did he want to spend an entire day here? No.

Sadly it was non-negotiable. Moniwa had asked to speak to him specifically and no amount of shooting Suga pleading looks was going to get him out of it.

"You're the one who found Kiyoko." Suga hummed as they took a much-needed break for air, the place was dusty and kept making Nishinoya sneeze which was a small problem to say the least. "So he wants to talk to you so he knows exactly what he's dealing with."

"Yeah but it's so _boring_ \--ow!"

Suga sighed as he twisted Nishinoya's ear like a mother would do to her unruly child. "Hey, I'm finding it just as tedious Yuu. Complaining isn't going to help us or Kiyoko."

The mage huffed as he was released, he felt envious of Tanaka who had been allowed - or rather _told_ \- to go with Bokuto and make sure the horses were fitted with new shoes and given a decent groom for once. The door opened and Daichi poked his head out of the door, Suga immediately ushered Nishinoya back inside the cluttered study to continue the task at hand. Kenma was deeply invested in a large book on the topic of conjuration magic, he was more than happy to be there with all this new knowledge to soak up. Moniwa looked through some papers before glancing up with a smile, Nishinoya mirrored it back but mentally sighed.

"So, I've narrowed it down a little since yesterday," Moniwa began pacing the room as he spoke "and with what you've told me I can conclude that this was almost certainly a transmutation-style of conjuring."

"...we kind of guessed that." Nishinoya replied. "But okay, what does that get us now then?"

Moniwa paused, pressing fingertips to his lips as he seemed deep in thought for a few seconds. "Well, it means whoever cast it was dabbling in taboo magic. It also means they possess the ability to harness some pretty powerful energy."

"A ritual of this sort couldn't be done overnight with no preparation." Kenma piped up. "They would've had to plan it, to gather materials and the like."

"Precisely." Moniwa nodded, turning back to Nishinoya. "There was a reason that a powerful mage transformed her into a dragon, a reason that made them want to bend the rules of the land and of magic itself."

"Forgive me for interrupting," Suga stepped forward "but what exactly would happen during a transmutation ritual? I know it's a powerful incantation and is taboo for a reason but...what _is_ it?"

The scholar let out a heavy sigh, moving to lean against his desk. His expression solemn as he chewed on his bottom lip. "Are you sure you want to know?"

Suga nodded, Nishinoya had to admit he wasn't really sure what happened, as far as he was aware, the body of the person being altered was almost torn to pieces by the new one. Kenma's gaze flickered between them all, considering the question and then Moniwa's answer.

"Well, I'll use the oldest example of it; werewolves." Moniwa spoke, eyes darting around the room at them all to make sure they were understanding him perfectly. "The mind and soul of man and beast are melded together like a blacksmith would join plates of metal. Two beings wrestle for control in one body, it's a quick and aggressive experience. The human body is not meant to harbour two souls so there must be a compromise; that compromise ends up being the hybrid of legends, the man that transforms into a wolf-like creature. The actual process of that transformation requires every bone in the man's body to grow, snap, shift to that of a wolf."

"A painful experience." Kenma added quietly.

"The mind also alters, the man hungers for meat, for the hunt like a wolf. He becomes more alert, able to see and hear things his fellow man cannot. Over time though, he will lose himself to the beast he is bound to."

"Would the wolf had been alive?" Suga asked, voice quieter than before.

Moniwa shrugged. "Possibly. Depends what spirits were called on for the ritual. In Kiyoko's case, I'm betting that they used hunting trophies from a dragon as opposed to a live one. This works out in her favour as the spirit of a dead dragon would be easier to subdue than that of a live wolf."

Daichi had been listening carefully, trying to remember every last scrap of knowledge he could. "You're saying she was forced into the appearance of a dragon but doesn't have to deal with the aggression of the dragon?"

"It's my guess currently." Moniwa replied. "As I said earlier, this is something only a powerful mage could do. If they have the power to transmutate a human into anything, much less a dragon, than I'm not counting out that they called upon something from the underworld to make this work."

A heavy silence fell in the room as everyone processed the information. Nishinoya felt a little sick to his stomach thinking about how someone could use magic for something so audacious. He knew that mages used it as a weapon but this was something else entirely.

"So, now what?" Daichi asked. "Where do we go from here?"

Kenma closed the book he was looking though with a loud thud, attracting everyone's attention as he stood up and dusted himself off. "We find a reverse spell."

"You'd need the original incantation probably." Moniwa chipped in. "Or you'd have to perform a separate ritual to unbind her soul--"

"Then that's what we do." Nishinoya stated. "We find the mage who did this and reverse it."

Suga gently set his hand on Nishinoya's shoulder, the mage almost didn't want to look at him, he knew what the hunter was going to say.

"Noya, this mage isn't like you or Hinata. They probably had a reason for doing this to Kiyoko, a reason that may not make logical or moral sense to us...do you really want to find them and try to force their hand?"

"He's right," Daichi added, "they could be any manner of person and if they are as powerful as Moniwa says, then we'd stand little to no chance at forcing their hand."

"So we're giving up?" Nishinoya snapped, shrugging Suga's hand off his shoulder and wheeling around to look at both of them. "We're giving up on Kiyoko because this mage might be more powerful than most? They get away with casting taboo magic on an innocent girl and inflicting so much pain because we, a band of brothers who kill for a living, are _scared_?"

"We never said--" Daichi argued before Suga seized his arm and shook his head. The hunter gestured for Nishinoya to follow him outside for some more air. The mage went along with it without a word.

The air was cool in the alleyway, the early afternoon sun was shining brightly but they were shielded by the side of the listing building. Nishinoya sighed as the fresh air hit his lungs, his thoughts were running riot in his head as he considered what their options were in regards to helping Kiyoko. Suga leaned against the stone wall, lost in his own thoughts for a few moments before breaking the silence.

"We haven't said we're not helping her." He stated in a calm tone. "We simply want to make sure everyone is willing to go along with it and know the risks. Every job we take is planned to the last minute, the risks are listed and understood, the sacrifices made when none of our tricks of the trade work. Noya, we can't in good conscience agree to hunt down a powerful mage like that without asking the others." Suga slowly approached Nishinoya and placed both hands on his shoulders. "Imagine how Kunimi is going to react, how Hinata is going to ask a hundred questions, how Kuroo is already showing signs of being overly stressed. I want to have answers for all of them before we agree to his plan, you hear what I'm saying?"

Nishinoya couldn't exactly say 'no'. He nodded, smiling weakly as he met the other's gaze and saw only the familiar friendly expression that always put everyone at ease. "I'm sorry...for assuming you and Daichi were giving up."

"I know you care for her a lot, that this is a huge injustice. Daichi understands too, but remember he is responsible for keeping all of us safe."

The door opened, distracting both of them as Kenma exited the building with Daichi close behind him. Suga raised an eyebrow at the guild leader but didn't outright question it. They said goodbye to Moniwa, the scholar giving Kenma a piece of folded up parchment without much elaboration other than 'you might find this useful'. Kenma himself nodded in thanks but declined to open it, simply slipping it into his jacket pocket.

"Okay, what's the deal?" Suga broke his silence as they started walking towards the market.

"Hm? Oh I figured Moniwa had told us all he knew. Without us knowing who, where or why the curse was cast, we can't really do much just sitting in his study." Daichi shrugged. "I think we should get back to Kuroo and Akaashi, look at the map and figure out what to do next."

"Huh, okay. Are you sure heading back so soon is a good idea? We might interrupt...something."

Nishinoya sniggered at the hunter refusing to say what everyone knew he was referring to. "You mean we might catch Kuroo with his pants down?"

"Please don't put that image in my head..." Kenma complained.

"I mean it's _Kuroo_."

"Exactly, besides he's a lot more sensitive than most of you realise." Kenma huffed. "He's only like that with Keiji."

"Can't imagine why..." Suga hummed, shooting Daichi a knowing look. The guild leader was a little confused, as far as he knew Kuroo had only mentioned liking Akaashi to him but shrugged it off. Kuroo was never good at subtlety anyway.

 

* * *

 

 

Tanaka didn't tend to make a habit of duelling kids, it wasn't that he was scared of losing, he was just very aware that he often had to fight to the death when it came to defending himself. He simply didn't want to accidentally amputate a child's arm. He was used to the street kids coming up to him and Nishinoya when they entered a new city, they'd marvel first at his sword and then his build in general, they'd ask a hundred and one question about his adventures and how many wolves he had killed. He was used to _that_.

Kenji had this over-confident smirk on his face as he rotated his wrist, the sword in his hand looked like it had been crafted especially for him and this kind of duel, whereas Tanaka's greatsword was designed to decapitate its victims. The sellsword flashed Bokuto a glance, the older brother gave him a thumbs up, their father rolling his eyes slightly but nodding in encouragement. It was all he needed to settle his paranoia.

He let the younger take the lead, wanting to get an idea as to how much he knew about duelling. Evading the first few attempts to strike his armour was easy enough. The clanging of steel rang out in the yard as swords met. Once he fell into a predictable rhythm Tanaka could easily meet each lunge, stab and slash with his own sword. Through well-practiced footwork, he side-stepped and spun to deflect near enough every hit he could, eventually disarming Kenji and holding his sword just inches from the boy's nose.

"Nicely played." Tanaka remarked as Bokuto and his father applauded, lowering his sword and relaxing his posture. "You've got good form kid."

"Huh, barely hit you though." Kenji pouted, swatting away Bokuto's hand before his hair could be ruffled.

"That's cause he's a sellsword, if he let people hit him, he'd be dead by now." Bokuto laughed.

" _Fine_. I wanna duel him next." Kenji pointed at Hinata.

Bokuto smirked. "Oh? You think the mage will be easier?"

"Yeah? They don't fight with swords often so it should be piss easy."

Hinata swallowed, laughing nervously as he remembered what happened the first time he picked up a sword. Bokuto laughed and gestured for Kazuo to come closer. "Hey, make sure we have some buckets of water on standby 'kay? We might need them."

The youngest brother tilted his head in puzzlement but nodded and ran off towards the stables. Bokuto then approached Hinata and leaned down to talk in a softer tone to him. "You up for this, right?"

It wasn't that Hinata didn't want to practice his sword-fighting technique, he was just unsure about summoning his flaming sword to do so. Kenji was defiant as he picked up his sword and gave a few experimental swings as if to show off. Once Kazuo had returned with two buckets of water, Bokuto gestured for Hinata to summon his sword. The mage stood a few paces away from Kenji, sighing heavily before extending his hand in front of him. The boy gave him a confused look which soon fell away and was replaced with disbelief as the flames appeared and then quickly formed the blazing blade that he would be duelling against.

"No way." He stated.

"Yes way." Bokuto teased in return. "You thought he'd be easier?"

Hinata grasped the hilt of the sword, he was more used to it being the size of a dagger, not a rapier-sized blade that Daichi fought with. He felt a little out of his depth but swallowed that doubt as he thought back to Akaashi's sparring session with him. There was no clashing of metal, the hiss of flames licking the steel as they came into contact repeatedly replaced it. Kenji was quick to notice that whilst Hinata knew what he was doing, he lacked the confidence to wield the sword freely. What did work out in Hinata's favour was his short stature. He could easily duck and evade the lunges and swipes of Kenji's sword. He was much less fluid in his movements, less honed in the art of side-stepping but he could still hold his own.

"How is he meant to win though?" Tanaka asked Bokuto as they watched the two parry one another's attacks. "The fire isn't solid like steel so he can't disarm Kenji like I did."

"True, but Hinata can exhaust him, and Kenji will find himself staring down a burning blade at one point unable to escape."

"Are you _sure_ this was a good idea?"

"He's wearing leather and iron, they won't burn away if Hinata does catch him." Bokuto shrugged.

It was obvious from watching that Kenji was getting more and more frustrated at Hinata dodging his lunges. His movements became sloppy, lacking the discipline he had showcased whilst duelling Tanaka. The desperation to not lose twice in one day apparent in each swing. The mage retained his focus, resisting the urge to fall on bad habits and defend himself with more magic. A few moments passed where they simply regarded each other with guarded gazes.

With a small snarl, Kenji lunged forward, his blade set in a stabbing motion directed at Hinata's chest. Knowing the blazing blade wouldn't actually _stop_ the steel from striking, Hinata's self-preservation kicked in. He leaned backwards, watching as the sharpened sword narrowly missed his neck and then his face. The overextension of his arm caused Kenji to come off balance, yelping as his foot slipped and he lost his footing on the dirt. Hinata stole this chance to further throw the other off, ducking to the side and then kicking the boy's other foot out from under him in a sweeping motion.

With a grunt, Kenji landed on his stomach, steel clattering as the sword came to rest next to him. Hinata let his sword dissipate before extending his hand to the younger male. Bokuto and Tanaka exchanged a glance as Kenji took Hinata's hand and stood up, dusting himself off before sighing.

"You fight dirty." He stated, not quite pouting as he did before but an air of disgust about him nonetheless.

"...you nearly stabbed me." Hinata blanched, gaining a laugh out of Bokuto as he strolled over.

"Well _duh_ , that's the point of duelling."

"Alright, pack it in." Bokuto's father called from further away, Kazuo's eyes were wide in awe as Hinata flexed his fingers and rubbed at the soot that had been left on his fingertips. "I think it's time for some food, run along boys and tell your mother."

"Fine." Kenji sighed, picking up the sword and handing it to Bokuto before racing Kazuo to the house, leaving the guild-brothers to process what had happened.

Tanaka ruffled Hinata's hair as he laughed. "You did well shortie."

"Yeah?" Hinata smiled, he felt a little bad for winning with his tactics but was strangely okay with the actual fighting itself.

"I think so anyway," the sellsword shrugged "might need to work on your swing a bit but--"

"I don't want to wield a sword though, I'm fine with just my powers. Nishinoya is teaching me about the ice elements." Hinata interrupted as they slowly made their way towards the horses. He didn't _mind_ learning how to wield a sword in its basic ideals, but he preferred his nature abilities.

"But what happens if you _have_ to wield a sword hm?" Bokuto asked.

Hinata shrugged, he couldn't really think of a time where he would have to use a traditional blade. The conversation was dropped quickly as Bokuto's father declared the horses were fit to go. With the sun having reached the highest point in the sky during the duelling, they were vaguely aware that they should look to head back to the tavern. Bokuto told Hinata and Tanaka to go on ahead, that he would catch up with them that evening after spending some more time with his family.

"So how to _you_ feel about this entire dragon situation Hinata?" Tanaka asked as they made their way towards the harbour with the horses.

"Me?" Hinata clarified. "Huh, I dunno. I just kinda feel what happened to Kiyoko was bad, or at least that's how everyone's been painting it. I'm a little confused as to why _we_ are helping her, aren't assassins more about killing people?"

Tanaka had to laugh. "We band around the term 'assassin' but Kuroo was a smuggler beforehand, most of his jobs are actually more like his old trade. Sure Yaku and that go out and kill people for profit, but eh, I think you'll find that we don't actually kill that many people. The brotherhood just looks out for itself and kills anyone that interferes."

"Oh..."

"Don't think too hard on it." Tanaka added. "Sometimes I think even the likes of Kuroo and Daichi have trouble defining our family."

"I think it's good that we're helping Kiyoko though," Hinata continued "it sounds like a horrible thing to happen to someone."

"And that is why that kind of magic is taboo, because no good comes out of it." Tanaka huffed. "You and Noya should count yourselves lucky that elemental magic is more accepted and you don't have to hide away like Akaashi."

Hinata hummed in agreement, a sickening feeling in his stomach forming as he mulled those thoughts over. He _was_ lucky that he happened to have a 'normal' magical power, but he still couldn't shake the statement from his elder about 'something else' being within him. He had somewhat stopped thinking about it since joining the guild but all this talk of curses and luck had bought it back. He still wanted answers, but lacked direction of where to turn.


	16. The Plan

Chapter Sixteen

The Plan

  
The tavern was bustling that evening. As soon as Daichi and the others had returned from the scholar they had quickly taken over a table in the back corner of the building, away from prying eyes and nosy patrons. The guild leader had a very specific topic in mind to discuss around supper that evening. Kuroo and Akaashi listened to what they had to say whilst they were waiting for everyone else to return, neither of them having much to say on the matter. Nishinoya was quieter than normal, his conversation with Suga still fresh in his mind, he wanted to get on with asking the others to agree to this new plan of theirs but Daichi seemed adamant to wait until Yaku returned.

"So you summoned a flaming sword and duelled a child?" Kindaichi repeated as Hinata finished explaining what happened at Bokuto's. Suga and Akaashi exchanged a glance as the story came to a close, both unsure how to react to the news that Hinata was openly training with people outside the guild.

"Well Bokuto kinda made us." Tanaka shrugged, picking up a tankard and swirling its contents a little before gulping it down. "He made a bet with his brothers."

"Of course he did..." Akaashi sighed, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Where is he?"

"He said he'd catch up later." Hinata replied, resting his head on his folded arms on the table. "Where's Yaku?"

"Killing things." Kunimi chipped in. "He found a contract--"

As if it was planned, familiar footsteps made Kunimi pause, his abrupt halt in talking made the others follow his gaze to where Yaku was approaching them, a small bag in hand and a tell-tale smirk on his face. He dumped the bag on the table, the sound of clinking coins confirming payment for a kill.

"Can't take you anywhere Morisuke..." Kuroo remarked, shooting him a knowing smile. "So who was the unlucky sod this time?"

"Bastard merchant." Yaku shrugged, reaching for a tankard of ale and drinking eagerly. "He was short changing people but also selling some shady goods."

"And you killed him? We could've used him as a fence!" Kuroo pouted, bringing his drink to his lips.

"He was selling human organs." Yaku stated, fighting back a laugh as Kuroo spluttered and started coughing to try and avoid drowning himself. "Yeah, that's what _I_ thought."

The rest of the party laughed, both at Kuroo's reaction and Yaku's remark. The guild leader recovered and let a low chuckle escape him as he shook his head. "So we're waiting on Bo then."

"Seems like it." Daichi hummed. "I guess we can fill in some of the blanks while we're waiting..."

"Please do, we're all _dying_ to know." Tanaka said, getting a jab to his ribs by Nishinoya.

Daichi let out a heavy sigh, meeting his best friend's gaze at the other end of the table. "Suga, can you go and get us another round of drinks?"

"Sure thing." The hunter smiled and nodded, rising out of his seat and slipping into the more rowdy part of the tavern. Silence fell across the table, those who hadn't visited Moniwa with Daichi and Kenma began to sense that this was going to be a heavy conversation and ale would definitely be needed to swallow all the details. By chance, Bokuto managed to arrive at the table before any serious talk took place, quickly catching on that it was not the time for jokes or games as he sat next to Kindaichi and noted the silence.

Once Suga returned with the drinks and passed everyone a new tankard filled to the brim with ale, Daichi cleared his throat and began;

"So, after two days of talking with Moniwa, we have some more solid thoughts on what has happened to Kiyoko and how we fix it." He stated, the eyes of his entire guild on him as he withdrew a piece of parchment from his pocket, he had made some notes on the matter in code so they wouldn't forget it all, likewise if any stranger picked up the parchment they wouldn't know that they were dabbling in trying to reverse a curse. "I'll keep it blunt,"

No-one said anything, curious eyes all on him as he read his notes.

"He said this is most likely a transmutation-style of conjuring, which is obviously taboo but more concerning, it requires a lot of power. More power than your average mage at least. It requires planning, resources not commonly obtained in your farmer's market and like I said; a lot of power. This points towards it being...well there being a strong motive. Whoever did this ritual knew for several days _at least_ that this was what they wanted to do."

"Rituals like this are no accident." Kenma injected, attracting everyone's attention. "They don't happen as a result of another going 'horribly wrong'. Turning her into a dragon was their goal, their sole intention."

"Mhm, whatever the motive, it is obvious to Moniwa that this mage is powerful and reversing this curse isn't going to be a walk in the park."

There was a pause, Akaashi noted everyone's mixed expressions of thoughtfulness and guarded concern. Most of them were good at hiding their fear in moments like this, but the biting of lips, worry-lines on foreheads, slow drumming of fingers on the table were evidence of subdued fear.

"We asked Moniwa how a transmutation would occur, what affect it would have on the human body. He gave us some hope in that most of these...rituals require the soul of the creature to be bound to the human. The legends speak of live wolves being the most common and their souls aggressively taking over--"

"How is that hope?" Tanaka cut in, somewhat without meaning to and getting a slight glare from Daichi for it.

"Let me finish," he sighed "the likelihood of this mage capturing a live dragon for this ritual is slim to none, so his best guess is that they used a dragon's hide and blood to summon that soul of an already dead dragon. This would be less aggressive and make for a smoother transformation."

"So we're talking transmutation _and_ necromancy?" Bokuto asked. "That's two out of three taboo practices, wanna throw in some time portals too?"

The remark was meant to break the sombre mood, but no-one laughed. Daichi gave him a weak smile for his effort before continuing. "So, onto how we'd go about reversing this, Moniwa says there are two ways; make up a new ritual which could take weeks and may fail with disastrous consequences....or we find the original incantation and reverse it."

"Reversing it will be more likely to succeed, however getting the original incantation is the hard part." Kenma added. "I can probably hazard a guess to what it was but for it to be almost fool-proof I need to know exactly what was asked of the spirits who granted the power."

Daichi nodded. "And that's where we are at." He finalised. "So now I have to ask you all; do you want to commit to this task? This is unlike anything we as a guild have taken on, this will not be easy and there is a high chance that blood will be shed before it is done. I will accept it if some of you do not want to be part of this, if you'd rather head home and return to your normal jobs. I cannot in good conscience force any of you to continue if you do not wish to."

There was a long pause. Glances were exchanged across the table, uncertainty flickering in the eyes of each guild-brother. There was a good chance this task could end in tragedy, in death. They dabbled with death every time they left the guild, they played God with other people's lives for coin, but this was different. This was playing God for the sake of justice, in defence of a person who had her life all but stolen from her by that of a manic of a mage. It was uncharted territory for most of them and it would undoubtedly change them in one way or a another.

The scraping of chair legs on stone broke the silence. Suga met Daichi's gaze with the calm smile that he always wore, no trace of doubt or fear in his eyes as he nodded and raised his tankard to the guild leader.

"You know me, I'm always up for an adventure." He stated. Bokuto rose to his feet and mirrored the hunter's actions, a grin on his face as he wrapped an arm around Suga's shoulders, ale spilling from his tankard as he did so. "Count me in too!"

Nishinoya quickly got to his feet, nodding in confirmation and Tanaka following suit. "Where he goes, so do I." The sellsword smiled, offering his closed fist for the other to meet with his own. Daichi barely had time to reply to any of them before the one sat beside him stood up, Kuroo met his gaze with the same smile that he gave whenever they finished planning a contract.

"What kind of friend would I be if I didn't have your back on this job Sawamura?"

With a small sigh Akaashi stood, "and someone needs to keep Kuroo and Bokuto in check."

A small laugh filled the air as Kuroo lightly punched Akaashi's shoulder. The laughter was interrupted by Kindaichi slamming his fist on the table and standing up, sparing a glance to Kunimi before meeting Daichi's gaze.

"I'm in, you don't get to go after a mage this powerful every day."

Hinata abruptly stood up, face slightly red as he puffed out his chest and clenched his fists. "I want to come too!"

Another small laugh passed over the group, Kenma smiled to himself as he quietly rose. "And I suppose I have to be there if I'm the one to reverse the curse."

Yaku caught Kunimi's eye. The sentry's fingers drummed on the table, the rest of the guild on their feet gave him pause for thought. To agree to go would be agreeing he wanted to help take down a mage, to finally get some form of revenge on those who hurt him, but it was also agreeing to work with three of them.

With a heavy sigh, he made up his mind and slowly stood up. "I guess...I'll come too." He mumbled, not missing the subtle smile on Yaku's face as he finally rose to complete the circle.

"That settles it then." Daichi sighed, unable to stop the smile spreading across his face as the entire guild stood before him. They were willing to follow him into unknown adventure, to battle an unknown force, to potentially give themselves so that one person might be better off. Whilst they got on each other's nerves, argued like true siblings, threatened to kill one another as they slept, they were a brotherhood; bonded now by a single cause.

"So, you got a plan or are we just riding off into the sunset?" Bokuto challenged with a smirk.

"Oh we have a plan you buffoon." Kuroo retorted.

"Well let's hear it then!"

 

* * *

 

 

They had two days to get to the meeting point with Kiyoko, Nishinoya had picked a spot directly east of the town near an old lighthouse, he was adamant that the village nearby wouldn't be too suspicious of all of them but Suga disagreed. The hunter didn't want the sheer size of their party to arouse suspicion, after all they were looking for a powerful mage who dabbled with taboo rituals. The plan then became to split up into three parties, one would go to meet Kiyoko whilst the other two would start canvassing the eastern region. They would then all meet up and exchange information and another plan would be formed based on that.

"We're going _where_?" Yaku spluttered as Daichi handed him a roll of parchment.

"Shiroi numachi." Daichi replied. "The white marshes, is this a problem?"

Yaku exchanged a glance with Bokuto. "No...well I've heard stories about that place, that's all."

"People go in and don't come out." Kunimi added, pausing in fastening Amaya's saddle in place. Hinata gave him a puzzled look as Yaku sighed heavily.

"I wouldn't put it _that_ way Akira, but sure."

Bokuto hummed, rubbing his chin in thought. He had no quarrels with the three males he had been put with, he knew exactly why Suga and Daichi had put Kunimi and Hinata together; it was a small nudge for them to work together and learn how their skills can complement each other. Yaku was the one entrusted to guide them to their destination and lead any interrogations, Bokuto was simply the muscle of the group.

"What do you mean Kunimi?" Hinata asked quietly, he was weary of the other most of the time still, but Yaku assured him that Kunimi just took some warming up to and simply talking was the best way to do that.

"I mean, the marshes are haunted," Kunimi shrugged, indifference in his expression as if he just told Hinata that it looked like it was going to rain that afternoon. "stories of people entering in search of all sorts of treasure and just...not being seen again."

"Knock it off, will you?" Yaku sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Okay Daichi, we'll go to the marshes, but _why_?"

"Well we don't think this ritual would've taken place in someone's attic, so it had to be done somewhere with some level of privacy. You just have to search the marshes for any signs of this." The guild leader replied.

"Wait wait," Bokuto interrupted "you want us to wander around some supposedly haunted marshland in search of evidence of taboo magic taking place?"

"...well, yes."

"Great!"

"You sound _way_ too happy about this." Yaku muttered, Kunimi sniggered slightly and went back to preparing the horse for their departure shortly.

Hinata tried to shake off the uncomfortable feeling in his chest. He wasn't really scared of the stories that Kunimi spoke of, he was a little nervous about being in the marshes with so few people to fend off any creatures they came across, but it wasn't really anything he hadn't experienced before. Daichi and Yaku exchanged some more words, mainly instructions on what to do once they had finished, where they were going to meet, what to do if they got into trouble.

Bokuto clapped a hand on Hinata's shoulder. "You okay?"

"Huh? Y-Yeah!" Hinata replied, startled from his thoughts of hauntings.

"You went all pale and stuff," the older male remarked "you're good with this plan right?"

"Yeah! I-I told Suga that I wanted to see more of the world so I guess this is my opportunity." Hinata laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head as he glanced to Kunimi. The sentry raised an eyebrow but nodded slightly all the same.

All three horses were in their final stages of being prepared to leave; Kindaichi helped Kenma onto Yuki's saddle and patted the mare's neck reassuringly as Akaashi finished attaching the last bag of supplies to her saddle. Hotaru was the one carrying most of the camping supplies, given that the four travelling to see Kiyoko were more than happy to walk as opposed to ride. The sun was steadily rising in the sky, the cool breeze off the ocean would be missed as they first travelled further inland before turning towards the coastline again.

"Okay, so Kuroo are you clear where you're going?" Suga asked, doing the rounds of each group as Tanaka lead Hotaru towards the gateway of the tavern yard.

"We're headed to the villages north of the river." The other replied. "Then we head south towards the marshes to meet up with Bo and company."

"Staying clear of the cove while we're at it." Akaashi added with a coy smile. "If we hit the ocean, we've gone too far east. Likewise, if we find the watchtower we've gone too far north."

"Good, feel free to leave when you're ready." Suga smiled, giving Kenma a nod before moving onto the last group. "Is everyone okay with where you're going?"

Kunimi nodded, a last minute change of heart saw them all agree to make the journey on foot and give Amaya a rest from having a rider so he was reorganising all the supplies. Yaku let out a sigh and complained a little about being told to go to the marshes but assured Suga he wasn't _that_ annoyed. Bokuto was pouring over the map Kenma had given them - a somewhat hastily inked one but it was better than nothing - as if he was going to be the one in charge.

"Are the marshes _really_ haunted?" Hinata asked Suga before the hunter turned away.

"Huh? Uh, no, at least not to my knowledge. People will tell tales all the time Hinata." Suga smiled. "You know how the village elders tell the children about dragons nesting in caves and trolls under bridges in order to keep them from wandering off somewhere dangerous? I expect that's all those tales are."

The words were a little comforting, at least enough for Hinata to let out a sigh and nod. With nothing left to do, Yaku declared they needed to get going to reach an ideal camping spot before sundown. They bid farewell to the others as Amaya was led out of the yard by Bokuto, taking the path that skirted around the bustling markets and cramped side-streets. Hinata found himself walking next to Kunimi as the two older males immediately started disagreeing on the best way to navigate a portion of forest outside the town. For a while neither of them said anything, Kunimi lost in his thoughts as his hands slipped into the pockets of his pants and Hinata absent-mindedly toying with the runestone hanging around his neck.

They passed the farmhouses lying on the outskirts of the town, cattle and goats grazing in the large fields without a care in the world. They nodded in greeting as visitors to the town met them on the path, occasionally they'd have to move onto the mud to let a trading cart take up the entire roadway, it was busy enough to remind them they weren't alone, but still fairly quiet. Gradually, the sounds of the town were left behind them and replaced with the rural soundtrack; birds singing and the distant crashing of waves on the coast, Amaya's hooves scuffing against the dirt road in a methodical beat punctuated by the occasional snort and chattering from their guild-brothers. It wasn't really that quiet but Hinata still felt the need to talk.

He had enough sense not to ask the other what his issue was with mages. Whilst Hinata _was_ curious, he knew that Kunimi had very strong feelings on the matter and getting him fired up less than an hour into this trip wasn't going to end well. So instead, he chose a slightly safer topic.

"Kunimi-san?"

"What is it?" Kunimi replied, tone bored to match his indifferent expression.

"...why did you decide to learn how to throw those things of yours?"

Kunimi raised an eyebrow. "You mean my shurikens?" He clarified, hand slipping to the leather pouch they sat in and tugging one out. The five-pointed sheet of metal glinted in the sun, dark in colour and looked to be fashioned out of obsidian from its colour alone yet thin enough to cut through the air like a spear.

"Yeah, you threw two at me on the day we met." Hinata nodded, eyes flicking between the death disk in-between Kunimi's fingers and the sentry's gaze.

"That was just to get you to piss off, and it didn't work." Kunimi sighed, a small smile tugging on his lips as he twirled the weapon in between his fingers. "If I wanted to kill you, I would've thrown one of these--"

His other hand went to a different pouch, this one attached to his upper thigh and longer in shape than that of the one on his belt. He withdrew a more dagger-like object, the silver blade was sharp and pointed, smooth and not jagged like some of the blades Hinata had seen. Its handle was a tightly coiled rope, leaving the pommel exposed.

"Why is there a hole in the end?" Hinata asked, pointing to the pommel.

"Because this is a throwing dagger." Kunimi explained, looping his finger through the hole in question. "It can also be attached to a rope and be easier to retrieve. Akaashi's used them on occasion for that."

Hinata nodded. "So this will kill someone?"

"Yeah, if aimed right and it strikes their forehead or neck." Kunimi smiled, twirling the dagger around on his finger. "You wanna hold it?"

He offered the throwing dagger to Hinata who took it, it was light in his grasp, silver shining in the sunlight and making the sharp edges stand out more. The mage's thoughts immediately turned to how he could replicate the form with his flames or newly acquired ice powers.

"So why these? Why not a normal sword?" He asked, giving the weapon back to Kunimi. It was safely slotted back in the pouch, a clinking noise signalling there was more than one in there.

"Well, I don't tend to like getting caught up in close-combat like Bokuto and Kuroo," Kunimi replied, still twirling his shuriken around his fingers. "I prefer to watch the fight from afar and strike without them knowing, the element of surprise can be very beneficial."

"Huh."

"It's also handy when on stealth missions, I can take out bodyguards and threats to our own forces with a simple flick of my wrist and barely anyone will know. I've been known to dip them in fast-acting poison too if I _really_ want to make them suffer--"

"Are you talking about your preferred methods of murder back there?" Bokuto called.

"He asked, so I'm telling." Kunimi called back, making Yaku laugh at the indignation in his voice.

"So do you practice these like Suga practices archery?" Hinata asked once Bokuto had gone back to his animated conversation with Yaku.

"With a target? Kinda." Kunimi shrugged. "I don't tend to practice that way anymore, I can hit a bullseye from any angle more or less. Now it's a case of tracking a target and _then_ being able to hit the mark."

"...would you be able to teach me?"

Kunimi paused, the shuriken in his hand also pausing. "You...You want me to teach you how to throw these?" He asked, holding up the disc.

"Well, like I had to practice wielding a real sword before being able to conjure one made of fire...so if I want to do the same but with ice I'd need to know how to throw _real_ shurikens, right?"

The sentry considered it. It would be a hassle to teach anyone how to throw them, much less a mage with next to no knowledge of actual weapon wielding. But he did enjoy the idea of being able to boss Hinata around, and it _would_ give him something to do whilst they were camping in the marshes. He knew that trees made excellent targets and wouldn't break at the first contact, plus they could be good indicators of how hard the impact was if they allowed the shuriken to get stuck in their trunks.

"Ask Yaku first, he taught me the basics and he might have some pointers before I entrust you with them. Last thing we need is you losing them, they ain't cheap to replace."

"Got it!" Hinata grinned, Kunimi couldn't stop himself smiling slightly, as annoying as he found Hinata sometimes there was no use resisting the infectious excitement. The mage scampered up to talk to Yaku immediately, interrupting the no-doubt _very_ serious conversation - or argument - over the best way around the forest in front of them.

"Maybe mages aren't so bad after all." He uttered under his breath to no-one but himself.

 

* * *

 

 

Daichi's group was the last to leave, after making sure Kuroo knew where he was leading his party and finally closing the bar tab in the tavern, they set off for the old lighthouse. Nishinoya and Tanaka were in high spirits as they walked slightly ahead of Hotaru, Suga had already stated he was more than happy to not be constantly looking over his shoulder for the rest of the guild, and Daichi too felt a slight weight lift from his shoulders as they walked.

There were a lot of things on both their minds, most of them to do with Kiyoko and the guild's loyalty shining through, but there was one other thing nagging at Daichi.

"So, I guess you know about Kuroo and Akaashi." He said, keeping his voice low enough so Nishinoya and Tanaka wouldn't overhear.

"What specifically?" Suga countered, not revealing anything immediately. "I know Akaashi is becoming more reliant on Kuroo to keep himself grounded."

"Huh, no I was talking more about..." Daichi trailed off, not knowing if he should reveal what Kuroo confessed. "Well Kuroo's taking their bond more seriously."

"Oh." Suga didn't seem surprised, but the hunter was always good at hiding his emotions behind the calm façade. "How serious?"

Daichi shrugged, opting to keep the specific details to himself, Kuroo may be bad at subtlety but he didn't even say out loud what he was considering when they discussed it, simply alluding to it. "I know he's viewing Akaashi as someone he holds close, that he'd do anything to make sure Akaashi's safe."

A hum left Suga. "I see, well with Akaashi's powers developing that might be needed."

"Why _are_ his powers developing?" Daichi's brow furrowed, in all the chaos of getting attacked and then mounting a journey to Kōshi no-one had really stopped to ask that question.

"Noya thinks it's because Hinata has entered the guild, that having another mage around has charged the air more and awoken something." Suga replied. "But truthfully, we don't know. He hasn't given any clues either, nor have they developed more since he heard Kuroo's voice in his head."

"Though that's gotta say something," Daichi folded his arms across his chest "that he heard _Kuroo's_ voice."

"True."

"You don't think it has something to do with what Hinata's elder said, about there being 'something' about him?"

"It's possible. We should've asked Moniwa actually now that I think about it." Suga shrugged. "Oh well, time will tell I guess."

They fell into a comfortable silence, knowing they wouldn't have to worry too much about where to camp that night given there were only four of them to account for. Daichi's thoughts returned to mulling over everything, how he was even going to tell Kiyoko what Moniwa had said. Would she even believe them? Would she remember anything that could point them in the right direction? Would she want to find the one who did it to her? These questions would keep stewing in his mind as they walked, the good weather helping lift the otherwise dreary feeling in his chest.

 

 

 


	17. Bad Feelings

Chapter Seventeen

Bad feelings

  
The marshlands seemed to resemble more of a forest to Hinata, he expected it to be more open and bright but instead they found themselves in a dark dense piece of woodland. The ground was damp, mud-caked their boots and squelched under the hooves of the horse as Yaku led them in between twisted tree roots. Sharp thorns of brambles and weeds scratched at any exposed skin they could, low-hanging branches made them duck every so often.

"I don't like this." Kunimi uttered, glancing behind him for the fourth or fifth time in the last few minutes. "I feel like we're being watched."

"I'm sure it's fine." Bokuto replied, sweeping the trailing branches of a willow tree out of the way of Amaya.

"It's creepy." Hinata breathed, sticking close to Yaku as the leader of their group shone the white light of his runestone around the space in front of him, providing a little more light under the closed canopy of the trees.

The distant sound of flapping wings was joined by a low growl. Yaku paused, glancing around the thick foliage for any signs of trouble. He had to admit, he didn't like this situation either but it was just some marshland, surely it wouldn't be that much trouble?

"...say Kunimi," Bokuto broke the silence between them. "when you said people come into this place and don't come out...what did you mean by that?"

The sentry seemed less than okay with being asked that now of all times. "Uh, well I was told a story by a guy in a tavern once." He quietly replied. "He said that he knew a band of mercs that ventured in here to kill some creature of sorts, it had been scaring the local villagers or something...they didn't come back."

"So they got killed by a creature, big whoop." Yaku sighed, trying to play off how unsettled he felt.

"No, a scout came into the marshland a few days later and found them...they hadn't been torn limb from limb." Kunimi's voice wavered slightly. "They, they were all pale."

Hinata swallowed. "S-So?"

"They had been literally scared to death."

"Oh-kay, enough of that talk." Yaku hissed.

"Yeah! We're assassins, we don't fear supernatural bullshit!" Bokuto declared, Yaku rolled his eyes but didn't object. They continued slowly making their way deeper into the swamp, Amaya was calm which set Yaku at ease a little. The longer they spent in the darkly twisted maze of paths and streams, the less skittish they became. They could tell what was a natural sound and what wasn't, whether they needed to be on guard or not.

"So what exactly are we looking for?" Hinata hazarded a question.

"Eh, well anything that remotely looks like a magic ritual." Yaku shrugged. "Blood would be a good start I guess."

"B-Blood."

"Yes."

"Like that?"

They all stopped and looked where Hinata was pointing, a narrow trail had been cut away between two large trees and led off into the darkness, on the mud-soaked ground were a few splashes of dark liquid that suspiciously resembled blood in colour.

"...perhaps that's just some berry juice?" Bokuto offered.

"Or it's blood." Yaku reluctantly countered, handing the reins to Kunimi and wading through the mud and stagnant water to investigate further. He wrinkled his nose as the stench got stronger, once close enough to it he could also smell the blood. "Yeah. It's blood."

"Whose blood?" Kunimi asked, fingers slipping to one of his leather pouches.

"Maybe an animal's? It's not that fresh, a few hours old at least--"

A low growl, louder than before, made Yaku pause. The light of the runestone did little to penetrate the darkness of the thicket, he swallowed, listening intently. Soft, slow movements, like that of footsteps, were barely a few feet away. He could hear the faint sound of panting, another low growl came but this time to his right.

He slowly reached for his blade, drawing it and shifting his weight to his back foot. There were at least two things in the foliage, waiting, gauging their time to strike. Before he could signal to the others, something whistled past his head and into the thicket. A snarl erupted before a large black wolf sprang from in front of him, one of Kunimi's shurikens embedded in its leg. Yaku brought his arm up to defend himself, shoving the large canine to the side where it landed in the water. The threat had not passed however as more large black wolves made their presence known around them.

Hinata's mind went blank as Kunimi fought to control a startled Amaya, his hands shook as he tried to think what to do. There were five in total, each nearly bigger than him and more deadly.

"Don't just stand there!" Kunimi snapped, withdrawing two of his throwing knives with his free hand. " _Do_ something!"

Only one thing came to mind. Hinata held out one hand and tried to ignore the fear taking root in his chest. The snarls and growls from the wild animals around them echoed in his mind as the familiar heat sprung in the palm of his hand. He tried not to think about the last time he had to rely on his flames for survival.

The blade formed quickly, bright yellow light piercing the darkness of the marshland. The wolf closest to him whimpered slightly as the pulse of heat rippled through the air. Hinata's thoughts turned to protecting the others, Kunimi was trying to keep Amaya from bolting whilst also aim his knives at the wolves circling them. The mage had no idea how to actually fight an animal, he had only sparred with humans but now was not the time to second-guess himself.

The smell of burnt fur was foreign to him, the loud snarl that erupted from the snapping jaws of the wolf was not. It bolted into the bushes, leaving Kunimi to catch his breath briefly and launch a knife towards another beast. Hinata was unsure whether the wolf would come back, his attention was stolen by Yaku's loud shout as he buried his blade into the torso of the first wolf that had attacked. Bokuto had snapped the neck of another, getting claw marks all over his arms as a result but otherwise remained unhurt.

Two remained with them, a third somewhere in the bushes. Hinata expected them to pounce on Yaku but found himself the target, instinct fuelled his actions, bringing his blade in front of him as the canine leapt up to bring him down. The flames raged, not quite sinking into the wolf as a steel blade would but the air still filled with the stench of burnt flesh and the pained howl. Bokuto grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and threw it aside, it didn't get up. Kunimi launched one final knife, striking the last in its forehead with perfect aim as it squared up to Yaku.

Silence fell.

Amaya was riled up, tossing her head repeatedly to try and free herself from Kunimi's grasp. Yaku sighed heavily and approached, patting her neck in a soothing gesture and whispering until she calmed. Hinata looked down at himself, he was covered in mud, blood and fur, his flaming sword still ignited in his grasp until he released the hilt and it dissipated.

"...well they were vicious." Bokuto remarked, looking over his forearms that were all clawed up. "Everyone okay?"

"Yeah." Kunimi replied, going around each of the bodies and collecting his weapons. He paused at the one Hinata killed, analysing its wound. "Your blade...holy shit you incinerated its ribcage."

"I...what?"

"Your blade was so hot it _cremated_ part of a wolf's ribcage when you stabbed it."

"...oh." Hinata felt a sense of queasiness come over him. "Uh...great?"

"Lemme see." Bokuto demanded, crouching next to Kunimi. "Ohoho he's right! Nice one Hinata!"

"Cut it out." Yaku uttered. "This can wait until we're not in danger of dying, didn't one of those wolves escape?"

"Yeah, bounded off that way," Hinata pointed to the opposite side of the thicket. "I don't know if I...uh."

Yaku held up his hand. "Okay, well let's focus on finding somewhere to camp and sort ourselves out."

"We are _not_ camping in this god damn marsh." Kunimi immediately argued.

"I never said we _were_." Yaku retorted.

Bokuto hummed to himself as he took his blade to the dead wolves, skinning them for their pelts without so much as grimacing. Hinata felt woozy like he was going to faint. Kunimi paused in his arguing with Yaku to give him a strange look.

"...are you okay?"

"No...I.."

Hinata's head drooped, the sentry's fast reflexes caught him before he fell into the mud. Yaku quickly unfastened several saddle bags from Amaya so Hinata could sit in the saddle.

"Okay, Bokuto we need to go, _now_."

"Got it boss."

 

* * *

 

 

Daichi had known explaining everything they had learnt to Kiyoko wouldn't be a pleasant experience. The reptilian eyes regarded him in thought after he finished detailing the kind of ritual she must've gone through to be in her current state. Nishinoya kept asking her if she remembered anything, anything at all that could point them towards the one who did this to her, Tanaka and Suga merely watched the exchange between all three of them.

"I remember he was a mage." Kiyoko repeated.

"Yes, but what else?" Nishinoya pressed. "Think Kiyoko, there's got to be something else you remember."

She raised her head, gazing over the cliff at the ocean. The strong breeze whipped up the smell of sea salt, gulls screeching overhead were almost drowned out by the sound of waves crashing against the rocks below. A low growl rumbled from her chest as her wings extended slightly.

"It was a stormy night." She stated. "The sea was rough, there was thunder too."

"So that means you were on the coast somewhere." Daichi murmured quietly. "But that doesn't narrow it down much."

Suga hummed, pacing over to the edge of the cliff. "Are there any areas of this coast that are prone to storms more?" He asked, looking towards Tanaka and Nishinoya who had travelled in this area more.

Nishinoya was about to shrug when a thought came to him. "Well, the southern tip of the east coast is pretty rough most of the year."

"Also renown for bandit raids." Tanaka shrugged. "Misaki told me that it was often the first part of the realm raiders saw."

"So should we focus our efforts on the villages around there?" Suga continued. "Yaku and Bokuto are already in the marshes so we just need to track them down--"

"The marshes?" Kiyoko interrupted, tail swishing and wings shifting. "Shiroi numachi?"

"Yes," Nishinoya's excitement sparked a little as Kiyoko showed signs of remembering something "what is it?"

The dragon got to her feet, pawing at the ground briefly before looking out to sea again. "Something...I remember they're important. I spent time there..."

"Well that settles it, we're going to the marshes." Daichi declared. "We should be there within two days I reckon if we leave now."

 

* * *

 

 

It was dark when Hinata finally awoke. His head hurt as he opened his eyes and took in the canopy of trees above him, flickering orange light indicated a camp-fire was present, the soft bedroll underneath him was a welcome feeling to his drowsy mind. He tried to wrack his brain to work out what had happened, the last he remembered was surviving a wolf attack and then darkness.

"Oh, you're awake." Kunimi's voice broke his concentration. He turned his head to meet the gaze of the other, firelight illuminating his pale face and pensive expression. "You were out of it for a while."

"Out of...what happened?"

Kunimi shrugged. "We fended off the wolves and then you just--" he snapped his fingers "went out like a light. I had to catch you to stop you falling face-first into the mud."

"Where are we?" Hinata sat up slightly, wincing as his head pounded. They weren't in the marshes that was for sure; the ground was covered in lush grass, the trees standing straight and tall as opposed to hunched over and twisted.

"Just outside the marshes." Kunimi replied. "Yaku and Bokuto went to scout out around the outskirts whilst I stayed here with you."

"Oh."

"Bokuto reckons you suffered from mage's fatigue. Something about having to use a lot of power in a short time-frame when you weren't ready for it...blah blah..."

"Fatigue..."

"Yeah I didn't get it either." Kunimi shrugged again, wiping his newly cleaned knives on his pant leg one by one. "But the point is we got the fuck out of there and we're not camping in a haunted marshland."

Hinata moved to sit up properly, crossing his legs and rubbing his eyes before taking in their make-shift camp. It was just four bedrolls, a camp-fire and the few packs that had been strapped to Amaya, the horse herself was grazing a few feet away, a lot calmer than earlier that day. Kunimi didn't say anything as he rummaged in one of the sacks and bought out a small package, he tossed it to Hinata with a grunt. Unravelling the thin leather, Hinata found a portion of uncooked meat and some basic vegetables, he glanced back up at Kunimi who was making a point not to meet his gaze before setting about cooking the food over the small fire.

They sat in silence for a while, neither having anything to say and Hinata was wrapped up in his thoughts about why he passed out. He wished Kenma was with him, the other would be able to make some sense of what happened even if not all of it. Eagerly he ate, not wanting to waste a single morsel of the meal provided. He had barely finished when a commotion in the nearby foliage spooked both him and Kunimi.

"What the--" Kunimi uttered, quickly sheathing his blades but pulling out a shuriken all the same.

"It's just me," Bokuto called out, hoping to avoid the younger male trying to kill him in one shot. "Yaku found that wolf you hit earlier. We put it out of its misery."

"Oh, well where is he now?" Kunimi lowered his guard a little, eyebrows furrowing when Bokuto emerged from the foliage alone.

"Huh? Well, he was right..." Bokuto turned around to look for the other but found only leaves and branches. "...behind me. Shit."

Hinata glanced warily between them, Yaku was used to handling jobs alone sure, but this was a little different. Bokuto's surprise at him not being there sent alarm bells ringing in Kunimi's head.

"We gotta find him." Kunimi abruptly stood up. "He can't wonder those marshes alone at night--"

"He'll be _fine_ , it's Yaku remember? He's single-handedly taken down an entire group of mercs before." Bokuto waved off the other's concern. "And he's equipped with his blades, so if he does come across anyone then they'll be easy prey for him."

Hinata had to admit he had a bad feeling about this, Kunimi was less subtle in his thoughts, grumbling slightly but accepting that he couldn't go in alone either. "I'll take first watch then."

 

* * *

 

 

The villages to the north had little to offer Kuroo and his party, they were able to restock supplies and take a more relaxed trip through the wilderness. Kenma slept for most of the day and took most of the night watch in return. The mood between the four was calm, there was little to panic over even with their quest objective in mind. After they had ascertained that there were no clues in the north, Kuroo decided to head south towards the marshes, planning on finding Bokuto's party and exchanging information - or lack of in his case. Their slow pace had made for easy-going conversation between Kindaichi and Akaashi, the two discussing the latest change in the mood of the guild, how Akaashi was able to hear Kuroo's voice during the attack but had no explanation as of yet, even debating buying another horse for the guild.

They stopped early for the night, opting to rise early with the sun so they could travel when it was cooler. Akaashi woke before it was even dawn though, a nagging in his thoughts spurred him to wake Kuroo from his slumber.

"What is it?" Kuroo, groggy from sleep still, murmured.

"Something is wrong." Akaashi whispered, glancing around the darkness. They had camped under an overhang within view of the marshes, protected from the sight of the trails and any bad weather. "...I don't know what though."

Kuroo groaned, rubbing his face as he lay staring up at the rock hanging over them. "Describe it."

"It's a sickness in my stomach, almost like butterflies of nerves but... _bad_." Akaashi couldn't keep his eyes fixed on any one point. "I don't know Tetsurou, I just feel bad."

"Is it like when the guild was being attacked?"

"Kind of? But different as well. I just get the feeling something is wrong."

Kuroo sighed, Kindaichi's snores indicated he was still asleep and Kenma had dozed off and let the fire die out. The only light was the faint glow of the moon, nowhere near a full moon but enough for Kuroo to see that Akaashi was sat up and staring into the distance.

"Do you want to wake the others and continue onwards? They won't be happy but if you feel that strongly then--"

"No. I...I don't have anything but my feelings to base this off of. Don't wake them."

There was a pause, Kuroo hummed softly before reaching out a hand and tugging Akaashi to lay back down. The other complied, letting himself be gently tugged into Kuroo's arms and letting out a heavy sigh. The sun's rays stirred him from his sleep again, this time the fire was lit and Kindaichi seemed unfazed by the fact he was sharing a bedroll with Kuroo. Before any other conversation could take place, Akaashi told him to prepare to leave almost immediately after Kenma and Kuroo awoke. When asked why Akaashi simply shook his head and said;

"I don't feel right."

It was good enough for Kindaichi. He quickly ate what little food he had cooked before tempting Kenma from sleep with the smell of cooking fish. Kuroo seemed to remember the events of only a few hours earlier when he stirred, skipping out on pleasantries and wolfing down some bread as he single-handedly packed up half the camp.

"Why are we in a hurry?" Kenma uttered between mouthfuls as he was somewhat manhandled onto Yuki's back, still half-asleep. "Is someone dying?"

The remark made Akaashi pause. A brief flash of the snapping jaws of a wolf came to mind. "...I hope not."

Kindaichi exchanged a glance with Kuroo, the last of the camp was packed away and they set off towards the marshland.  
 


	18. The White Marshes

Chapter Eighteen

The White Marshes

  
Tracking the wolf had been easy, Yaku didn't need to look hard to find the footprints in the mud, the blood spatters from a knife wound and clumps of fur caught on brambles. Bokuto had been eager to put the matter to bed before they retired for the night, Yaku had agreed having a wounded beast out there to get them wasn't ideal so they had hunted it down and put it out of its misery.

They had been on their way back, the moon rising as the night crept in. Bokuto had a longer stride than Yaku so it was almost guaranteed that he'd disappear into the foliage and leave the assassin to fend for himself - unintentionally. But what Yaku hadn't anticipated was hearing faint voices calling from behind him.

At first he brushed them off, he had heard Kunimi's stories of the haunted marshes and sure, he was a little paranoid but he was of the same mind as Suga on the matter; that they were old wives tales made up to scare children into obeying their parents. He did have to admit, the marshes were more unnerving to be in after sunset. He wasn't sure if it was his imagination playing tricks on him, but he kept catching glimpses of white light in between the trees. As Bokuto's heavy footsteps faded, being replaced by an eerie silence, Yaku found it harder to ignore the faint whispers.

He followed the carved out path that Bokuto had left, the hairs on his neck were beginning to stand up as strange knocking against tree trunks started echoing throughout the area. The frequency of the white lights increased, prompting him to keep glancing over his shoulder only to find nothing. His thoughts began shifting to why this place was called 'the white marshes'. Was it possible that the spirits of those who had departed were lingering in form of white lights? Why did they linger? What did they want? Could they be a threat?

Pushing these thoughts aside, he kept his runestone active so he had some light. He knew Bokuto couldn't be that far ahead of him, that he'd be able to hear the others soon and he could forget about the rumours of ghosts for a while.

He had just stepped over a particularly muddy part of the path when he saw it; a large white orb in front of him. He froze in place, not quite ready to believe that Kunimi's story had been somewhat true. The orb lingered for a few moments, light pulsing like a heartbeat before slipping further into the foliage.

Every instinct of Yaku's was screaming for him to run out of the marshes, courage be damned, and never step foot in it again. Yet he felt a tug to follow the light deeper into the bog. The tug was hard to ignore, almost impossible. He swallowed, fumbling with his runestone in his sweaty hands. As he took a cautious step forward, he found himself disorientated, the pathway Bokuto had taken seemed to have vanished. The not-too-distant glow from the mysterious light was off to his right, beckoning him still.

His mind felt hazy, like he just woke up from a nap. He still knew he had to get out of the marshes, but with no idea where to go and little mental strength to resist, he caved in and began following the light.

 

* * *

 

 

Rather than trekking through the marshland, Akaashi routed their party around it. His gut feeling told him that they needed to reach the other side of it, not travel through it. Kuroo didn't object, simply letting him take the lead and refraining from questioning him about it. It was becoming obvious to them that Akaashi's powers were growing and none of them knew _why_.

"So what exactly do you feel is wrong?" Kenma asked quietly, trying not to sound overly cynical but he was finding this a little too weird for his liking. The rumours of what exactly resided in the marshes they were perilously close to didn't help his suspicions.

"I'm not sure. I just get this sick feeling, that we need to get to the other side of the marshes and quickly." Akaashi replied evenly, he wasn't scared or even that worried, but he wasn't about to ignore his gut feeling.

The conversation around the topic was dropped. Yuki willingly walked behind Akaashi, barely reacting to any sounds of rustling leaves or scurrying animals. As they began to clear the network of twisted trees and swampy mud, Kindaichi noticed the camp in the distance to their right.

"Is that--"

"That's Bokuto's camp." Kuroo answered before the question could be asked. "...something seems off though."

Akaashi studied the scene as they walked through the lush grass towards the camp, early morning sunlight bathing the area in a warm glow. He could see Hinata summoning ice spikes out of boredom and Kunimi watching in half-interest. Bokuto was grooming Amaya, none of them had noticed the other party yet. Kuroo cleared his throat and shouted a greeting to them, waving once he had Bokuto's attention.

"Yaku isn't there." Kenma observed as they got closer.

Before any of them could ask, Bokuto let out a sigh of relief. "Thank the gods you're here." He quickly took Kuroo's hand and gave him a half-hug. "We've got a problem." His usually relaxed attitude was absent as Kunimi stood up and folded his arms across his chest, mirroring the concerned expression.

"Problem..." Kuroo repeated.

"We...I mean _I_ lost Yaku in the marshes." Bokuto said, running a hand through his hair. "And like, normally he's fine on his own right? We reckoned he'd be here by now, hauling a dead wolf or something behind him but...he's not."

Akaashi understood his bad feeling now. "When did you lose him?"

"Last night, we got attacked by wolves and one ran off. So we got out, set up camp and then he and I went back to track the survivor down." Bokuto explained. "He was right behind me when we were coming back to camp but he...disappeared."

Kenma slid off Yuki's back, he walked towards the edge of the marshes and paused. Bokuto continued to ramble to Kuroo and Akaashi about how guilty he felt but how he couldn't leave Kunimi and Hinata in the middle of a field to go looking for Yaku. The alchemist studied the unforgiving terrain, he couldn't sense things to the extent Nishinoya could, but he could usually tell if something magical had taken place. Hinata joined him, withholding from saying anything as he worried his lip between his teeth.

"I assume Kunimi told you about the marshes." Kenma murmured.

"Yeah, about people not being seen again if they venture in."

"That's only part of it." Kenma sighed. "There are older tales than that, ones of woodland spirits that call this place home. They don't take kindly to strangers, especially at night."

"Woodland spirits." Hinata repeated, glancing at the eerie looking trees. "What...kind of spirits?"

Kenma shrugged. "I don't know, some legends say they are like us but have god-like powers. Others say they are nothing like us, more ghost-like and bordering on the edge of our understanding...I hope they are simply legends."

"What do they do to strangers?"

"Well that's the thing, no-one has confirmed their existence, so I would guess they outright kill anyone who ventures in there."

Hinata swallowed. The sun was shining brightly, a gentle breeze was disturbing the long grass and rustling the leaves on trees both inside and outside the marsh. He wasn't sure what to think or feel about this, from all he knew of Yaku the other was well equipped to deal with all sorts of situations. To be lost in the marshes since the night before though, in such an unpredictable place wasn't comforting in the slightest.

The older males had finished debating what to do, Akaashi agreed that they couldn't just sit around and wait for Yaku to emerge. Likewise going into the marsh alone to look for him wasn't exactly ideal either. It would take at least a day to canvas the entire marshland, a day that they didn't have if anything _had_ happened to Yaku.

"So, do you remember the route you took? We should probably start there." Kuroo said.

"Vaguely." Bokuto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It was dark and he had the runestone that lit the way."

No time was wasted, the camp was packed up and the two parties followed Bokuto into the marshes. They were all on their guard, Kenma's warning about the rumours possibly holding some truth focused their minds on listening for anything out of the ordinary. Both Yuki and Amaya appeared calm, it helped keep Hinata from thinking the worst as they trudged through the mud and water. It didn't take long for Bokuto to lead them back to where they had found the wolf, the carcass still resting in the mud. Kunimi wrinkled his nose at the smell, Hinata avoided looking at it entirely as he remembered the remarks from the previous day.

"Right." Kuroo stated, glancing around the area. "So now we split up--"

"Are you serious?" Kunimi interrupted. "You want us to split up?"

"Well, yeah it's gonna take too long to search the entire area." Kuroo countered. "Problem?"

"If whatever is in these marshes has gotten to Yaku then--"

"You're assuming that Yaku has been 'gotten to' by something. He may have simply gotten lost." Akaashi said, trying to avoid an all-out argument taking place. "In any case, I actually think it would be better to stay together, we don't know this area very well and _we_ don't want to get lost either."

Kuroo grunted, conceding defeat and agreeing almost reluctantly. Whilst they opted to stick together, they did fan out a little to cover more area but stayed within sight of each other. Kindaichi took charge of both horses, leading them on the flatter ground and mud as opposed to over tree roots and through water. They refrained from calling out for Yaku, they weren't sure why but it seemed like the best idea. The marshes were quiet but not silent, there were bird calls and sounds of insects chirping but no words were spoken between the two groups.

Bokuto was adamant that Yaku was fine, that the assassin was used to all sorts of scenarios and wouldn't let his guard down. He was probably just lost and needed them to find him. Bokuto didn't want to think about any worse case scenarios or 'what ifs'. His remarks from earlier about them not being afraid of supernatural stuff because they killed for a living was starting to haunt him.

The foliage was thicker as they searched, Bokuto's arms were getting covered in more scrapes and scratches but he didn't care as he continued to push the bushes aside. Kuroo decided to start calling Yaku's name, his voice ringing out in between the trees and startling some birds. Akaashi kept pausing, almost as if he was hearing something but couldn't figure out what, Kenma had noticed but was more preoccupied with keeping Hinata from freaking out.

"Hey, let’s take a minute to catch our breath." Kindaichi called, making the entire party halt. Bokuto shook his head but complied, glancing at Kuroo and Akaashi before looking down at his scraped up arms.

"Getting yourself injured isn't helping." Kuroo tried to lighten the mood slightly but all it did was make Bokuto sigh loudly.

"I know! I know, but I should've checked he was behind me--"

"Hey, don't start with that crap." Kuroo chastised, grabbing Bokuto by the shoulders and forcing him to look Kuroo in the eye. "Don't think about that, and like we've all said; Yaku is capable of keeping himself alive. We just need to find him, he probably hasn't eaten or shit-- _that_ is what we need to think about."

"Agreed." Akaashi chimed, shaking off the faint voices he was hearing. "Kenma, can you do something about Bokuto's arms?"

Kenma raised an eyebrow but slowly approached the other and looked over the raw gashes and raised scratches that were now beading with blood. "Best I can offer is some basic bandages..." He murmured, reaching to his pack to fish out the roll of linen. Bokuto tried to shake his head but Kuroo lightly slapped the back of his head.

"Don't be a stubborn mule, you're no good to us with blood running down your arms."

Bokuto let out a small sarcastic laugh, allowing Kenma to wrap his forearms with the thin material. The off-white colour slowly being tainted by dark red spots as his blood was soaked up. He felt a little like a burden as he watched the alchemist work to tie up the ends.

"Try not to tear them up..." Kenma remarked with a small smile. "I can get the stains out, but fixing shredded linen isn't the easiest job in the world."

Hinata and Akaashi exchanged a glance as they both heard a voice, the others seemed oblivious to its presence but both mages heard it loud and clear. Akaashi cleared his throat, getting Kenma's attention and beckoning him over as Kuroo demanded Bokuto ate some food. The alchemist didn't need to ask, he had also heard the voice but chose not to react at first, making the non-mages in their party worry was senseless.

"...you heard it too." He spoke in a hushed tone, glancing between Akaashi and Hinata.

"Yeah, any idea if those woodland spirits talk like this?" Akaashi asked, trying not to let on how anxious he was feeling. He was getting more flashes in his mind, white orbs mainly and the occasional image of a dead scout.

"Possibly." Kenma replied, keeping up his act of reorganising his bag. "Who knows. Do you sense the heaviness in the air?"

"Humidity?"

"No," Kenma glanced up at the canopy of trees. "Kunimi's stories of people perishing here are based on truth. Their spirits linger."

"H-How do you know this?" Hinata quietly chipped in, he was two seconds away from clinging to Akaashi's arm in comfort but was determined to not seem like the little kid of the group.

"When you end up visiting several ancient crypts in search of rare herbs, you start to be able to sense the heaviness in the air. The aura of death itself." Kenma uttered. "It's here, in these marshes."

"Do you think--"

"Don't think like that." Akaashi cut in. "Yaku is fine."

Kuroo called for the three of them to get ready to leave, Hinata fell in step with Kenma as they walked. He wasn't used to hearing voices inside his head that barely anyone else could. He didn't really recognise the language either, it was like the old texts in Kenma's room but heavy with an accent. It startled him when it spoke again.

"Ignore it." Kenma whispered, noting Hinata's slight flinching. Akaashi glanced over his shoulder at them both but didn't say anything. All three of them could hear whatever it was, Hinata wanted to ask more about it, 'knowledge was power' or at least that's what his elder used to say to him.

The voice came louder, more aggressive and Hinata had to clutch his head to try and soothe the ringing in his ears. Akaashi stopped in his tracks, pinching the bridge of his nose as he grimaced.

"Kenma...what--" Hinata tried to speak before the loud voice in his head interrupted.

The rest of the party had stopped, all of them glancing between the mages in confusion as Kenma took a deep breath and glanced around the knotted tree roots.

"Then tell us where to find our friend." He spoke to the wilderness around them, not bothering to clue the others in just yet. It was bad enough translating the old language and responding, let alone dealing with the others asking questions. "Once we have him, we will leave you in peace."

Kuroo was about to march over and demand answers, mainly because Akaashi had sunk to his knees and was breathing raggedly.

"Yaku is not fair game." Kenma sighed. "And he is not 'yours'."

"Kenma what the fuck is going--" Kuroo started.

"Some older woodland spirits are really pissed off with us for trespassing on their 'sacred' land. They're also saying Yaku was 'fair game' and belongs to them now."

"...told you this marsh was haunted." Kunimi uttered.

"Well tell them to fuck off and give us back Yaku." Kuroo snapped.

Kenma's head was hurting from all this translating, Hinata and Akaashi were both speechless as they tried to deal with the effects of being spoken to by such powerful spirits; the ringing in their ears, the shortness of breath, the feeling of being watched by several sets of eyes. "They said that we're in their lands so we will obey their rules."

"Like hell I will." Kuroo grumbled.

"Here's a thought, why don't you stop antagonising them and maybe try talking to them with respect?" Kunimi remarked. "Think of these...whatever they are...as nobles and see what happens?"

At any other time, Bokuto would've laughed at Kunimi giving Kuroo sass but as it stood, the sentry might've been onto something. "Yeah, Kenma tell them we don't want any trouble, just Yaku back."

Kenma resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He spared a glance to Hinata before addressing the forest again. "I know you're listening, we just want our friend back. We don't want anything else, just him."

Everyone waited. Akaashi and Hinata waited to hear the voice again. The silence in the marshland was almost deafening after the onslaught of otherworldly voices. Kuroo and Bokuto exchanged a look, neither daring to speak and break the silence. Both the horses were still calm, a small comfort in the otherwise tense atmosphere.

"...anything?" Kindaichi breathed.

Akaashi blinked slowly, still on his knees in the mud as he regained control of his breathing. Slowly, he rose back to his feet, feeling the tightness in his chest ease slightly. Things seemed to return to normal as Hinata appeared calm again, the voices stopping as soon as they had begun.

"No." Kenma replied, puzzled at the sudden silence. "Akaashi?"

At first Akaashi was going to reply 'no' but stopped himself. His hesitation drew everyone's attention, Kuroo reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. The simple contact sparked a frantic flash of images in his mind.

_A pool, shallow enough to wade through, greenish water, surrounded by twisted trees and winding vines. A body, still breathing but in a confused state. Lost._

"Keiji?"

Akaashi startled, finding Kuroo holding his shoulders as he swayed back and forth. "Huh?"

"You blacked out for a second." The concerned tone of Kuroo's voice hid the fear for a second. "Are you okay?"

Akaashi didn't know how to really explain any of this, but he did know it was a clue. "I think I know where Yaku is."

They followed Akaashi through the foliage, he wasn't sure how to get where he knew Yaku was, his body just moved accordingly. No-one questioned him, Kenma motioned for Hinata to stick close to him and not ask any questions. The younger male nodded, understanding that this was not the time to interrupt. Akaashi led them alongside a small creek, in his mind he knew it had to lead somewhere and his instincts told him that Yaku was there.

After what seemed like an age of travelling in silence, Yuki refused to take another step down the creek, shaking her head and resisting Kindaichi's tug on her reins. Kuroo stepped in to take her so the other could make sure Amaya didn't also start acting up, murmuring softly to her.

"It's okay girl, nothing to be scared of." He brought his hand to her neck, the gesture was successful in calming her down a little but there was a glimmer of fear in her eyes.

"How much further do you reckon?" Bokuto asked Akaashi.

"Not much longer..." Akaashi replied, pushing back a few low hanging branches. The creek widened slightly, the mud was more slippery and Akaashi gave up trying to stay dry and began walking through the shallow water instead. As he brushed aside more branches, Akaashi caught sight of the pool in his mind; the water was still, algae and the reflections of the overhanging trees cast the entire area in a pale green colour. Thick vines covered the roots and trunks of the trees that hunched over the water, but that was all overlooked as Akaashi's gaze fixed on one thing and one thing only.

"Yaku." He breathed, wading through the pool as quickly as he could. The others followed him into the clearing, Bokuto almost overtook him in his haste to see if Yaku was alive.

The assassin was led down in the pool, barely propped up enough on his elbow to keep his face above the water. As Bokuto reached him, sending out large ripples in the pool as he dropped to his knees, he began asking Yaku several hurried questions. Kenma was quickly on his other side, gently helping him to sit up.

"Is he okay?" Akaashi asked, keeping the rest of the group from crowding Yaku.

Kenma examined the dazed assassin. Yaku's gaze flickered between him and Bokuto, awareness of who they were was clear in his eyes but there was also confusion. He had no physical injuries to speak of though, all Kenma could conclude was he may have been suffering from the damp.

"He looks fine." Kenma replied, gently reaching out and holding Yaku's chin. "Morisuke, what happened?"

Yaku blinked slowly. "I don't know...there was a light."

"A light?" Kenma repeated. "...okay."

Yaku didn't elaborate any further at first, his eyes drooping slightly as he brought a hand up to cover Kenma's. "They were here."

"Who?" Bokuto pressed.

"...the serpents. I saw them...I think."

At the mention of their rivals, Kuroo lost what little nerve he still had. "Someone help him up, I don't wanna spend another god damn minute in this swamp." He ordered.

Yaku didn't protest to being scooped up in Bokuto's arms, he was soaked from being sat in the water for so long but paid no mind to it as he was gently placed in Amaya's saddle. Kindaichi wasted no time in leading the horse back down the creek, Yuki was more than eager to follow. The party didn't stray from the trail back out of the marsh. There were no more voices, which in itself concerned Kenma a little but he put that to the back of his mind for the time being.

Setting camp up was quick, a campfire was the main priority as Yaku needed drying off and cooked food. The two groups refrained from questioning him further as exhaustion set in and he was allowed to sleep. Kunimi remained awake, determined to stay on watch for any strange sightings, Hinata joined him in an effort to be useful after the day's events set in. The camp was quiet as they sat there, eyes trained on their surroundings rather than the fire.

"...what do you think happened to Yaku?"

"I think he came into contact with...something." Kunimi uttered. "Those woodland spirits sounded right assholes."

"They spoke in an old language, I think Kenma had some texts in the same one which was how he knew what they were saying..." Hinata pulled at some of the blades of grass. "I...I was actually kind of scared."

Kunimi didn't show any sign of mocking the other, neither did he offer sympathy. "Well Yaku is fine, fuck knows what we're going to do now though."

Hinata didn't answer, too absorbed in his thoughts to think of an answer. The evening was calm, the moon rising slowly into the clear sky. A small chill washed through the area and made him appreciate the fire a little more. Kunimi's eyes canvas the edge of the marshland, the dark trees yielding little in the way of clues. He almost wanted to see if any of the white lights showed themselves, but equally he didn't have a death-wish.

An orange light between the trees caught his attention. He nudged Hinata and gestured to the grove of trees, a small flickering light was making its way towards the far edge of the marshland. Kunimi swallowed, taking Yaku's experience into account as he silently rose to his feet. He watched as the light left the trees and entered the pasture, they were several feet away but close enough for him to confirm his thoughts.

"Scouts." He muttered, quickly moving to Kindaichi's sleeping form and shaking him awake. "Yuutarou wake up."

"Eh?"

"We got scouts."

Hinata watched as Kindaichi scrambled to his feet and found his preferred weapon. The duo immediately left the camp to pursue the scouts, whether they were hostile or not. Hinata couldn't exactly blame them, with everything they had just experienced and the tensions running high in the group, it was inevitable that short fuses would blow.

 


	19. Rising Tensions

Chapter Nineteen

Rising Tensions

  
Kindaichi liked to think he was a fairly grounded person. He didn't particularly like jumping to conclusions, mainly because he had seen how _that_ panned out with the guild. That being said, when being shaken awake in the middle of the night to find his best friend declaring they 'had scouts', Kindaichi wasn't about to argue that something needed to be done.

The metal chains of his flail clinked as he jogged behind Kunimi through the long lush grass. The sentry paused, crouching down now that they were closer to the two strangers, Kindaichi followed his lead, willing his breathing to quieten as Kunimi studied the scouts for any identifying sigils.

"...question," Kindaichi breathed "if Yaku saw them in the marsh, what were they doing there?"

"Hell if I know." Kunimi replied, readying a blade to throw. "I don't care either if we capture one of them alive then maybe we'll find out."

"You and I both know you don't take prisoners." Kindaichi hummed, rotating his wrist.

Kunimi smiled slightly, moonlight casting a soft glow across his face. His gaze flickered between the two scouts; both male and wearing light leather strapping for armour. They didn't appear to be looking for anything or anyone in particular but Kunimi wasn't about to let them find the guild's camp. Their torch wasn't illuminating much of the pathway in front of them, giving Kunimi and Kindaichi some shadows to hide in.

"You sure you wanna kill them?" Kindaichi asked, if they were sell-swords then he could understand it but scouts were barely worth the time in his opinion.

"I'm not having them squealing to their leader." Kunimi uttered, pulling his arm back as he took aim. "I'm done being one step behind them."

The blade whistled through the air, striking the one carrying the torch in the neck. He gasped, clutching at his throat as blood oozed between his fingers. His comrade drew a dagger, looking around frantically for their attacker. Kunimi readied another blade, Kindaichi sucked in a breath as it looked like he wasn't required to pounce.

Something else whistled through the air before Kunimi could launch another blade. A large chunk of ice, bigger than Kindaichi's fist, collided with the second scout's head.

"What the--" Kunimi hissed, glancing behind them and seeing Hinata with his palms outstretched. More ice was beginning to take shape in his hand, starting as a sphere but quickly growing outwards in an unruly fashion. "Hinata what are you _doing_?"

"I-I wanted to help!" Hinata replied, summoning ice felt vastly different to summoning flames. His fingers felt cold, it reminded him of the night be first discovered his powers. He could feel the joints in his fingers aching from the cold, the air whipping between his fingertips sent a chill through his body as the poorly shaped spike ceased to grow anymore.

Kunimi wanted to both sigh and scream. He watched as the spike flew through the air and struck the scout again, sending them backwards into the grass. It had by no means killed them outright but dazed them enough. Kindaichi sprung from his spot and swung his flail; chains clattering together loudly in the darkness as he strode towards the confused scout. The first that had been struck was already dead, blood pooling next to their body from where Kunimi's knife was embedded in their neck.

"N-No, please!" The remaining scout begged, dazed but aware of what was happening. Their forehead was bleeding where ice had struck them, flames of the torch that lay on the path illuminated their fearful face.

Kindaichi had a brief lapse in thought, they could easily take the scout hostage and question them about the serpents' movements, it wasn't exactly hard to tell they were one of them after all; their leather jacket bore a broach with the same crest that the mercenaries who attacked the guild wore. Kunimi strode over, collecting his blade before standing over the wounded scout.

"You were following us, weren't you?" He accused, wiping the blood off his knife and making a point to keep it in clear view of their victim. "What do you want from us?"

"Who are you? I swear we weren't following you! We were told to patrol this area--"

"Why?" Kindaichi cut in. "Why this area? All that's out here is a marshland."

"Please, you have to believe me!" The scout persisted. "I--We don't ask questions, we were told to patrol this area and report back."

Kunimi exchanged a glance with Kindaichi. "Report to who?"

"I don't know! I was only told to look out for any places worth looting I swear!"

Hinata had hung back, unsure what Kindaichi and Kunimi were doing talking to the person they just tried to kill. After it became obvious that they weren't looking to immediately end their life, he slowly crept up to join them.

"What do we do?" Kindaichi asked Kunimi.

"Kuroo hates loose ends." Kunimi grunted.

At the name of their leader being uttered, the scout's eyes widened. "Kuroo--Kuroo Tetsurou?"

"What of it?" Kunimi's brow furrowed. "You know him, don't you?"

"No!"

"You know his name." Kunimi stepped forward and grabbed the scout by the front of their jacket, the serpent broach winked in the moonlight. "Quit bullshitting."

"Fine! Yes, yes I know the name. Our leader's been hunting him since before I joined." They babbled. "I don't know what he did--I just know they weren't happy about it and want him to pay. Please let me go!"

Kunimi snorted. "Can't do that. You know where we are. You're going to go running back to your superiors and try something." He snarled. "You guys nearly fucking killed me last time!"

"Akira--" Kindaichi wanted to stop Kunimi from acting irrationally. He was still of the mind that they could get more information out of them without killing them.

Hinata watched as Kunimi bought his blade cleanly across the scout's neck. A loud spluttering sound broke the silence between them. Blood splattered over Kunimi before he let their still-warm body slump to the floor. Hinata felt his stomach turn as Kunimi glanced at him, pale skin covered by red spattering, expression passive as if he hadn't just murdered two people.

"Hinata, burn the bodies." Kunimi uttered as he walked away without a second glance. "We don't need them rotting in tomorrow's sun."

"W-What?"

Kindaichi was speechless. He shook his head at Hinata as the mage struggled to comprehend what Kunimi just did. "He's got a point...I guess."

Hinata reluctantly nodded. He tried not to think about it as he felt his fingers heating up. He couldn't bear to look as he held his hands out and let the flames engulf both bodies, the stench of burning flesh would hang in the air for hours.

 

* * *

 

 

Kuroo pinched the bridge of his nose as he sighed. The smell of burning corpses had awoken everyone, or rather the smell of burning _something_ had woken everyone far before daybreak. Bokuto blinked his owlish eyes as he glanced around the camp and ascertained that the two people who were supposed to be on watch were only just returning with Kindaichi in tow.

The first thing most of them noticed as Kunimi got close enough to the fire to be seen, so was the large amount of blood staining his clothes. Kuroo didn't need much other evidence to figure out what happened.

"For God's sake...who have you killed now?" Kuroo asked, gesturing to the dark stains on Kunimi's chest, a direct contrast to the red smeared across his pale cheeks. "And why can we smell burning?"

Kunimi met Kuroo's unimpressed gaze with his own glare. "We--no wait _I_ just killed two scouts from the Serpents." He replied loud enough for no-one to claim they didn't hear him. "They were here 'patrolling the area' but they sure as hell knew who you were."

Akaashi rubbed his forehead, this was the last thing they needed after the events of that day. Yaku was awake but not really with it as Kenma checked for a fever, Akaashi knew he needed rest but there was little chance of that happening now.

"Me?" Kuroo clarified, all frustration now turning into disbelief.

"Yeah." Kunimi continued, not bothering to sit down as Hinata and Kindaichi had done, instead he remained standing and gesturing to the small pillar of smoke rising against the pale moonlight. "After I cut one down the other sang like a canary in a coal mine and told us you fucked up big time with one of their leaders--"

"Alright!" Kuroo cut in, face a little paler than normal. "I get the picture...and you burnt the bodies _why_?"

"They would attract crows and a horrid smell." Kunimi shrugged, digging his hand into his pocket and pulling out one of the broaches, the engraved serpent wrapped around a dagger glinting in the firelight. "But I snagged this."

"Oh for the love of god..." Kuroo sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Fine, whatever. Did they say anything else before you murdered them?"

"Only that you're being hunted." Kunimi uttered, still glaring at Kuroo as he pocketed the trophy. "For some reason."

Akaashi and Bokuto exchanged a look, the smaller of the two rising to his feet as Kuroo declined to comment on Kunimi's answer. Hinata met his gaze, he wasn't as shaken up this time about having to use his powers but there was still a trace of regret in his usually bright eyes. Akaashi sighed heavily and caught everyone's attention.

"It's not long til dawn." He stated quietly over the popping of the campfire. "Everyone go back to sleep, I'll take watch now until the sun rises."

If anyone had any arguments, they didn't dare voice them. Akaashi threw a few more pieces of firewood into the flames as everyone settled down again. Kuroo took longer to do so, Akaashi didn't need to ask why, instead he coaxed the other to rest his head in his lap and gently ran his fingers through Kuroo's hair to soothe his chaotic thoughts enough so he could sleep.

There was a smoky scent in the air as Akaashi sat in silence through the night. The corpses had burnt out by the time the sun's rays began peeking over treetops and illuminating the sky around them. Both Yuki and Amaya stirred and began meandering back towards camp from where they had been grazing through the night between sleeping and checking their surroundings. Akaashi had lost himself to watching the dying embers of the fire, deep in thought about many different things, when Yaku stirred next to him.

"How are you feeling?" Akaashi asked, voice barely above a whisper as he added another piece of wood to the fire in preparation for making breakfast.

"...like my head was split open with an axe." Yaku grumbled, wincing at the daylight. "I don't remember much."

Akaashi nodded. "If you're that curious I could always...take a look."

Yaku hummed in thought. "Maybe, if I don't remember in a day or so. Not exactly in a hurry to remember what some old woodland haunting did to me."

"I don't blame you. They weren't exactly...what we're used to."

Conversation trailed off there as Yaku helped rummage through supply packs for some food to prepare for the others. Akaashi was somewhat restricted due to Kuroo still being fast asleep and using his lap as a pillow. As the sun rose a little higher in the sky, Yaku decided to see to the horses, half because everyone else was asleep and half as a way to help return to normality. The smell of cooking meat enticed Bokuto and Hinata from their slumbers, both eager to sample the food as soon as Akaashi deemed it cooked. Once conversation between them picked up, the rest of the party began waking up; Kenma being the last to - almost reluctantly - sit up and accept the food offered to him.

It wasn't planned for both groups to end up together so soon, and with no real way to contact Daichi's group, they were a little lost for things to do. The marsh had yielded little in clues for their overall quest, only a few bad-tempered wolves and 'some old as fuck spirits' - as Bokuto had helpfully summarised. With Yaku's condition improving quickly, it was agreed that they would simply travel a little further eastward and take things slowly.

Getting back on the road seemed to keep everyone's moods upbeat, Hinata was back to enthusiastically taking in the surroundings of the grasslands, asking everyone and anyone all the questions he could about the part of the realm they were in. Kunimi was quieter than he had been with Hinata in recent days, he was mulling over how the scout knew Kuroo's full name and that there was _something_ going on that none of them seemed to know about. Kuroo himself was doing a poor job of hiding his clear unease at the previous night's events, Akaashi was resisting the urge to look into his thoughts or even try to soothe them through magical means. No, he was certain he'd wait until they were alone before doing that.

As they came to a creek, Bokuto called for them to halt. The water was deep enough to need to wade through and was a lot cleaner than that of the marshlands. Rather than simply walk through it, he proposed they stopped a while and utilised the water as a bathing opportunity. Kenma wrinkled his nose at the suggestion, stating the water was probably not as clean as it looked, but both Yaku and Akaashi deemed it clean _enough_ to at least wash their faces and feet a little. Kunimi was finally able to wash the blood off his face, Yaku was more than happy to get the horrible marsh smell out of his skin even if only by a little and Hinata decided to try freezing one of the small off-branches of the creek when he became bored.

They almost didn't hear the others approaching. Kunimi nearly launched a shuriken at them out of habit, Suga was prepared to launch an arrow back in response. A small laugh escaped Kunimi as the hunter ruffled his hair slightly, Daichi, Nishinoya and Tanaka following Suga out of the cluster of trees.

"How is everyone?" Daichi asked, the question directed towards the group even though he had clocked Kuroo's slightly dampened demeanour.

"Yaku nearly died, Hinata's flames incinerated a wolf's ribcage, we inadvertently made contact with some ancient woodland spirit and then Kunimi slaughtered two scouts last night." Bokuto summarised.

Suga took a few moments to process all this information, Daichi opened his mouth a few times to begin replying but seemed to think better of the words he was about to pick. Nishinoya had taken Hotaru to the water's edge to drink but heard all he needed to hear to ask Kenma for more information on this spirit they contacted.

"So, how did all that happen?" Tanaka asked, glancing around at the rest of the party who didn't seem in a hurry to correct Bokuto's recollection.

"Well--"

"Hold on," Suga sighed, stopping the tale lunacy before it could be started. "Daichi and I heard that there's a tavern not too far east of here, how about we make our way there before you explain all of that?"

"You mean we get to sleep in an actual bed for a night?" Kindaichi remarked.

"Possibly." Suga replied. "I'd much rather be in a cosy tavern than out in the wilderness, wouldn't you guys?"

Kuroo didn't say anything, the rest of the group were all for the idea so he let them all hurry to follow Suga's lead to this promised tavern. Akaashi gently patted his shoulder as he passed by to herd Kenma and Hinata along, a silent but reassuring gesture. Kuroo fell in step with Daichi, knowing the other would want an explanation and report on what they did or did not find.

"There was nothing to the north." He spoke quietly but with purpose, not letting his current thoughts weigh him down too much. "We headed south due to Akaashi's gut feeling that there was something wrong."

"And was there?" Daichi asked, mindful that whilst they were at the back of the pack, there was still a chance they could be overheard. He could tell something was bugging Kuroo; the way he kept shoving his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, fiddling with the hilt of his dagger, running his hand through his hair and inhaling sharply. Daichi knew, but wouldn't ask outright right now.

"Yaku was missing in the marshes, Bokuto was going nuts about it. We joined up with them to find him."

"And how did Kunimi come to kill two scouts?"

Kuroo paused, sparing a glance at Daichi, calm brown eyes glanced back. "He saw them on the pathway, approached them, killed one of them. Apparently the second...the second one recognised my name."

"Oh."

"They're definitely still out for me." Kuroo's voice dropped a little lower. "These scouts didn't know why, but they still knew who I was."

"...I figured something had come back to haunt you." Daichi sighed. "You look pale."

"Hm. Didn't sleep much after that."

"When we get to the tavern, we'll get a room for you and Keiji." Daichi stated. "Don't worry about the others, Suga and I will handle them, but you need some time alone."

"We just _had_ time alone."

"Yeah, to let off steam sure," Daichi caught Kuroo's eye, there was no sign of humour in his expression this time. "let him try and soothe your thoughts, or just talk to him about it all. God knows what we're about to encounter out here, it'll get ugly probably, and I want you at your best. So take some time out Tetsurou, there's no shame in admitting you need it."

Kuroo shook his head. "Kunimi is already suspicious."

"Let him be, the kid isn't exactly the most open book in the guild either." Daichi said, nudging Kuroo's side slightly. "Seriously, take a few hours out with Keiji, if not for yourself then for the guild's sake."

Kuroo nodded, the idea was appealing in all honesty, but he also didn't want to dwell on that part of his past for long.

 

* * *

 

 

The tavern was a small place, a little off the beaten track for most people but it still seemed to have its regular patrons. They eyed Suga and Daichi warily as they entered and asked for two rooms; one for a couple and the other for ten people. The barkeep raised an eyebrow and calmly explained that they had two rooms with five beds that they could split between the ten people, Suga quickly assured them that the guild would be more than okay with that. Akaashi got handed the key to the smaller room though, Daichi didn't dwell too long with him lest the others get wise to what was happening.

Akaashi quickly got with the program. After making sure the rest of the brothers were distracted by the prospect of food and ale, he took Kuroo's hand and lead him away. They walked down a narrow hallway and up an equally narrow staircase. The key unlocked a rickety door that opened up into a small but cosy bedroom. Kuroo's mind was far from anything sexual as they both sat on the edge of the bed, thick woollen blankets covering the bed that itched against his skin.

Akaashi didn't say anything at first, merely taking Kuroo's hands in his and squeezing them slightly. He willed a small smile to tug at his lips as he met the older male's tired eyes.

"Tetsurou." He spoke barely about a whisper, almost afraid to break the fragile silence. He knew Kuroo probably didn't want to talk about it, to dwell on the thoughts, to entertain what it all meant. He knew that, but he had to ask him to. "What do you want to do?"

"I want to make it go away." Kuroo replied, squeezing Akaashi's hands.

"You know that's not possible." Akaashi knew there _was_ a way, but he wasn't about to go through with it. "Do you want me to try and soothe them?"

A few moments of silence passed before Kuroo nodded. "Please..."

Akaashi let him shuffle back on the bed enough to lie down comfortably on his back, there were no proper ways to go about it but they had their own routine. He lay beside Kuroo, hand splayed on the other's chest so he could feel the steady heartbeat through layers of clothing. Silence fell between them, heavy breathing from Kuroo showed he was relaxed enough and ready.

Akaashi let out a low hum, a signal to Kuroo he was about to begin.

When it came to soothing another's thoughts, Akaashi first had to find the troubling thoughts. This was easy for him to do with Kuroo, especially as he knew what to look for. The flashes of the past burst behind his closed eyelids; a woman's face looking down at him, a group of young men offering him gold pieces, running, the feeling of fear, his heartbeat in his ears as he searched for something.

 _"You knew what was at stake kid, quit causing a scene"_ The gruff voice brought more than fear, it brought anger.

 _"It's all your fault, you know that right? They're dead because of you"_ A more innocent voice, sorrow and regret accompanied it.

Akaashi felt Kuroo's heartbeat quicken.

_"You're a backstabbing little shit!"_

Akaashi flinched as he saw the image of a fist, regaining his composure quickly and hurrying along. Finding the root of this problem was proving harder than he thought.

_"I bet you wish you had never been born at all."_

He could tell Kuroo was crying, the subdued sniffs and choked back sobs were loud enough even in this state for him to hear them. He focused more of his energy on sending soothing vibes through Kuroo's sub-conscience. The memories no longer crystal clear as he paused, he knew something had happened, someone had died and Kuroo blamed himself. He couldn't find the particular piece of the puzzle though and Kuroo wasn't opening up enough to show him.

When he felt a change in the other's demeanour, he withdrew himself. He slowly sat up, confirming that Kuroo had been crying as he gently wiped at tear-stained cheeks. Kuroo sniffed loudly and sat up, hastily rubbing his eyes as he did so.

Akaashi didn't want to ask. He didn't want to cause Kuroo to dig up more memories to make himself hurt. Instead, he shuffled closer and rested his head against Kuroo's shoulder. A hand came up to cup his face, thumb brushing over the rise of his cheekbone. Slowly, Kuroo tilted his face to look Akaashi in the eye. No words were exchanged as Akaashi closed the gap between them, lips meeting tenderly, no words were needed as Kuroo returned the gesture.

 

* * *

 

 

As the guild brothers settled down after some much-needed ale and food, Hinata had asked if it was okay for him to show Kenma and Nishinoya how his ice powers were getting along. The barkeep had been a little hesitant but allowed it on the condition it was _just_ ice and not fire that the mage was conjuring. The two older mages sat around one of the sunken fire-pits with Hinata, each intrigued as to what exactly he was about to show them.

Between the excited babbling and misfires, Hinata ended up sat smiling proudly as a large ice spike hovered a few inches above the palm of his hand. Kenma didn't show much disbelief, he had been aware that Hinata's powers were developing much faster than normal; being able to hear the forest spirit was a testament to that. Nishinoya didn't hide his shock though.

"Wait, I only taught you to summon ice like a week ago!" He exclaimed. "What did you...how have you gotten to this level already?"

Hinata tilted his head to the side, puzzlement in his expression as the ice continued to hover over his hand. "What do you mean senpai?"

"This," Nishinoya gestured to the floating element "usually takes _weeks_ to master. And you've gone and done it in what, eight days?"

"...yeah." Hinata nodded, starting to wonder if his pride was misplaced. "Is...this bad?"

Nishinoya quickly shook his head. "No, just...unheard of." He smiled in an attempt to be reassuring. "I mean, it's cool!"

Kenma didn't say anything at first, simply listening to the conversation. "What I think Nishinoya means, is that you seem to be able to advance a lot quicker than the rest of us." Kenma also smiled, he was finding Hinata an interesting person to study as much as befriend. "That's an impressive feat to say the least."

"And what your elder said about you having 'something else' probably has a little to do with it."

"...true."

Hinata let the ice vanish as he curled his fingers into a fist. He smiled a little and felt his confidence bounce back. He was about to ask them if they had any theories when Bokuto called him over to listen to one of Tanaka's crazy stories. He wasn't about to miss out on tales of adventures in lands far away.

As Hinata scampered off, Kenma met Nishinoya's gaze. He didn't need to guess what the other was thinking. "You reckon it really has something to do with what his village elder said?"

Nishinoya hummed, staring at the fire. "I think it's something we need to consider? She sent him in search of me for a reason, what did she think _I_ could do?"

"Maybe it's not just you?" Kenma suggested. "Maybe you're just part of it."

"What do you mean?" Nishinoya didn't quite follow where Kenma was going with that train of thought.

The alchemist sighed slightly, stretching his arms out in front of him briefly before replying; "Maybe you just need to teach him something and then he'll figure out the rest? Maybe he just needs a helping hand from another mage?"

"...still." Nishinoya shifted uncomfortably. "I don't think this is just a matter of him...I don't even know." He groaned, rubbing his face with his hand. "Something about him just feels different. He doesn't have the same feeling to him that Akaashi and you do. There's...almost _more_."

That statement somewhat surprised Kenma, he furrowed his eyebrows as he glanced over to where Hinata was engrossed in Tanaka's embellished storytelling. Kindaichi and Kunimi were also listening, all three of the youngsters barely giving each other a second glance as Bokuto kept egging Tanaka on. A thought returned to Kenma, one from that morning when Kunimi had returned from killing the scouts; Hinata had stayed up on watch with him, they had both gone after the scouts, they were now both sat within inches of each other without a single sign of discomfort in either of them.

Something had changed, something that meant Kunimi had seen Hinata as more than his powers. It wasn't odd per say, but in all the time Kenma had known the other, he got the impression that Kunimi was as stubborn as Kuroo regarding his hatred of mages. Something about Hinata had softened that hatred slightly, but _what_?


	20. Missing Pieces

Chapter Twenty

Missing Pieces

 

The sun was just starting to dip in the sky when Suga asked Kunimi to help him feed and care for the horses. The sentry agreed to help, leaving the other guild brothers to continue drinking and laughing. Connected to the tavern was a paddock with a small covered section, all three horses comfortably fit in it and were happily grazing until they heard Suga approaching. Kunimi hopped over the fence and encouraged them to walk towards the other who had a bucket of grains for them to eat, not really bothered by the mundane chore that he was used to doing with Kindaichi. As the horses ate, Suga started giving Hotaru a brush down, getting the dirt and dust from the roads and trails out of her mane and scrubbing the mud from her body. Kunimi followed suit with Amaya, in truth he enjoyed getting some fresh air, and spending time with Suga was a rarity.

At first they didn't talk about much other than the tavern shenanigans already witnessed; Tanaka nearly falling off a table during a re-enactment, Yaku eagerly eating everything the chef had to offer at short notice, Kenma nearly falling asleep in front of one of the fire-pits and Daichi's 'all work and no play' attitude on show as he studied the map for inspiration as to where to head next. Suga was quick but thorough with grooming Hotaru, quickly moving onto Yuki before Kunimi was even half done with Amaya.

"Can I ask you something Akira?" Suga using his given name was a sign things were about to get borderline interrogative.

"Sure?" Kunimi replied evenly, internally panicking that maybe he was about to get chewed out for being rude to Kuroo, or even murdering the scouts in cold blood.

"You don't talk about your home often," Suga didn't seem in the mood for scolding as he kept his gaze on Yuki's neck "is there any reason for that?"

Kunimi wasn't expecting this. He wasn't sure why anyone cared, he wasn't exactly the most open individual in the guild no, but that didn't mean he was actively hiding where he came from...just certain events that chased him out of there. He sighed slightly as he paused in brushing out Amaya's tangled mane.

"It's not that interesting to be honest." He eventually replied. "Do you really want to know?"

Suga hummed. "Yeah, I like knowing a little bit about each of you. We are like a family after all, it would be nice to know even just where you hail from. Yaku just showed up with you and Kindaichi one day without much explanation."

Kunimi snorted, he remembered _that_ day well. He shrugged and decided telling Suga some of his childhood wouldn't hurt. "I'm the son of a palace servant." He bluntly stated. "My mother serves the royal family, does mainly kitchen duties like scrubbing pots and pans, stoking fires, occasionally laundry and shit like that."

Suga nodded, casting a smile his way as they continued grooming the horses.

"Well I wasn't expected to do much until I was around seven summers old, they then put me to work carrying messages to and from different servant's quarters, collecting dirty clothes from bed-chambers, sweeping the floors of hallways and washing windows. Shit jobs that you can't possibly do badly at y'know?"

"Not the life for you?" Suga joked, finishing up with Yuki and moving to help Kunimi out with Amaya's tail that was matted from trekking through marsh water.

"Not really." Kunimi wrinkled his nose at the stench. "It was alright, we didn't have to pay rent or anything, our services where our payment. And the royal family aren't the worst people to work for, I actually got to meet the Queen once or twice when the bra--I mean Prince was younger."

"Course he would've been nine when you were seven, right?"

"Mhm. He was your typical little rich bastard." Kunimi scoffed. "I mean, he was _okay_ , still kinda looked down his nose at everyone but he wasn't unnecessarily rude to me on the occasion I walked into his chamber to collect his dirty linen."

"So how did you meet Yuutarou?" Suga asked, changing the topic slightly once he gathered the Prince and his cleanliness wasn't one of Kunimi's favourites.

Kunimi smiled slightly, pausing for a second before laughing. "Funny story, so I was somewhere around thirteen when this happened; I was on my way to collect the Prince's dirty bedsheets for washing, like I did every morning when the royal family were supposed to be eating breakfast."

"Okay..."

"And I get to the chamber door, normally there's a guard outside it if the Prince is in there so when I saw there wasn't one, I assumed he was already gone. Well _apparently_ he had sent the guard away, because I walk in without knocking and--" He paused to laugh, hanging his head as he leaned on Amaya for support, Suga raised an eyebrow but said nothing, simply smiling and enjoying seeing the other so at ease.

"--so I walk in right, and I just freeze. Right in front of me, sprawled out on top of the bedsheets without a god damn care in the world is the fifteen year old Prince just jerking off."

"Oh...oh god." Suga had to fight his own laughter.

"And he looks at me, and goes bright red. Like I'm talking redder than any apple I've seen kind of red. We both just stare at each other before I remember that he could literally demand I get flogged in the street for invading his privacy." Kunimi continued. "So I hurriedly apologise and stumble out of the room, not quite sure how _else_ I'm supposed to react to literally seeing the royal dick. I legit sprinted down to the only place I knew there would be any privacy; the stables, and just died of laughter."

"I-I can imagine." Suga spluttered, unable to keep himself laughing any longer as Kunimi's giggles bubbled out of him.

"And--and Yuutarou came over, he was a stable-hand, and he's all like 'who the hell are you? Why are you here? Why are you laughing?' and I just _had_ to tell him...and well we've been friends ever since."

"You became friends with Kindaichi because you saw the Prince's dick and couldn't contain yourself?"

"Yeah. Pretty much." Kunimi shrugged.

Suga shook his head as they both laughed. "So, did anything happen? Did the Prince demand anything?"

"Hm? No, I saw him a few days later and he didn't mention it. I think he just wanted to forget it happened." Kunimi shrugged. "I didn't make the mistake of walking in without knocking ever again..."

"I bet." Suga hummed, a smirk rising on his face. "So...did seeing it make you question yourself?"

Kunimi froze. "S-Suga!" His face flushed red as the other laughed at his reaction.

"I'm kidding." Suga waved him off. "Unless it did, in which case--"

"It did not!"

They shared a laugh, finishing up the horse grooming as the sun slowly sunk over the horizon. The sky cast in a pale orange glow, the sounds of birds in the trees had died down considerably since they exited the tavern. Kunimi recomposed himself as they washed the brushes and emptied the buckets of dirty water, finally able to look Suga in the eye again without laughing uncontrollably.

"So any other amusing stories?" Suga asked as they leaned on the fence and watched the horses grazing,

"Eh, not worth telling." Kunimi shrugged. "I kinda remember there being some massive uproar in the court about picking a royal guard for the Prince, I wasn't really privy to the goings on but we all knew there were massive disagreements."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, well usually the royal guard is like," Kunimi gestured to the air "they usually have at least one major battle under their belt and have proved themselves in combat right? In both tactics and survival y'know? Well there were a few generals and that in the King's guard who were up for being the brat's guard for the rest of their sword-arm days. But the Prince didn't want 'some old guy' following him around."

"I can't say I don't blame him." Suga hummed. "Imagine trying to chat up a noble girl with some old guy shadowing you?"

"I know right? So I kinda had to give the brat credit for saying 'ew no' to his father. Surprisingly the Queen was in favour of having a 'younger, more familiar face' guarding him. Well _that_ caused a lot of chatter amongst the serving girls."

"How so?"

Kunimi was silent for a few moments. "There was this guy, pretty burly, kinda handsome _I guess_ ," Suga didn't miss the slight tint of rosiness in Kunimi's cheeks as he went on to describe the other. "he had a pretty face but also a little rough around the edges. Made all the serving girls swoon when he passed them in the courtyard. He was training with the King's guard after winning a tourney or something. There were rumours he had known the Prince as they grew up but no-one could really confirm that."

"And was he the one the Queen had in mind?"

"Eh, I think so. Everyone was suggesting different guys, but what _really_ threw everyone off was the arrival of some village elders. There was a meeting between some of the eastern settlements to debate a bandit problem, they came to the court to ask the King for some kind of blessing or bullshit. Anyway, they were each accompanied by sword-arms from their villages. One of them was a girl."

"...a girl."

"Yeah, about the same age as the Prince." Kunimi's gaze didn't really stray from the field of horses. "She was pretty, some of the guards poked fun at her and said she couldn't _really_ be the sword-arm of the village. Well she somewhat challenge them to a duel and uh, won...quite convincingly.

"Oh?" Suga had met his fair share of female hunters and warriors on his travels but none of the standard of a guardsman.

"Yeah, so the King asked to meet her and to cut a really long, boring court meeting short; they asked if _she_ could be the Prince's royal guard."

"Huh. I would've thought we'd heard about that."

"Well," Kunimi sighed, straightening up. "that's the thing. She never came back to the palace. No-one knows what happened and the village elder has ignored all the letters apparently. So the Queen pushed for that guy from before to become the royal guard and he did."

Suga nodded, the sun now fully set and the darkness drawing in. "What was that guy's name?"

Kunimi shrugged. "Iwa...something. There was another rumour that he and the Prince were a bit more than 'friends', but who knows. I never really saw much before I...left."

"I mean can you blame them?" Another voice interrupted, Kunimi and Suga glanced over to see Yaku listening into their conversation, seemingly more himself as he smiled. "You have the sixteen year old Prince always being shadowed by the guy who steals all the serving girls hearts but never giving them the time of day. So if the girls can't have him, then they're gonna assume the Prince has some kind of spell over him."

Kunimi snorted. "Sure, but like I said, no-one _really_ knows what their bond is. I sure as hell don't care."

Suga chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "Well, on that note, should we head inside? I'm sure I need to yell at Tanaka for something soon."

Yaku told them he was getting some air and would be back in later. It was a satisfactory enough answer for Suga and Kunimi to leave him alone with his thoughts. He still wasn't sure what exactly happened in the marshland, he didn't remember anything beyond seeing the white light in front of him until Bokuto was on his knees in the water next to him. He somewhat wanted to ask Akaashi to look in his memories but also figured maybe he was better of not knowing.

Overhearing Kunimi telling Suga about the royal guards got him thinking, if there was truly a girl who evenly matched the city guard in a duel who came from these parts, then surely someone would know about it. He had travelled the realm a lot and never once heard this story, which he found a little odd. He was wrapped up in these thoughts when someone else joined him at the fence.

"Feeling better?" Kuroo's voice sounded distant, quieter than usual.

"A little, can't remember shit though." Yaku half-smiled. "You?"

Kuroo shrugged, leaning on the fence and letting out a sigh. "Keiji read my thoughts...he uh, dug up some stuff I had suppressed."

"Oh."

"Mhm. And I know he wants to ask about it, but I can't tell him...it's stuff I'm not proud of."

Yaku nodded, partly understanding. "I have a vague notion. You've never really told any of us about your life before the guild, have you?"

"Not really, but bits have slipped here and there." Kuroo waved off a moth that was fluttering towards the well-lit windows of the tavern. "Blah, there's too much to think about..."

"Yeah, Kunimi was just telling Suga about some drama about picking the royal guard for the Prince, how a female warrior was gonna be chosen but she disappeared and crap--"

"Female warrior?"

Yaku loosely explained what he had overheard, at the mention of the eastern villages gathering in the capital, Kuroo seemed to perk up. "You reckon Kiyoko remembers anything?"

"Possibly? Where is she?"

"In the forest, Nishinoya told us that she'd be by the large oak tree, not too far in."

"Well, we could go ask?"

Kuroo nodded, feeling his spirits lift a little at possibly getting some answers and distracting himself from the dredged up past.

The white light of Yaku's runestone shone brightly, illuminating the forest trail in front of them. The night was quiet, not eerie though as the gentle breeze rustled the tree branches, a distant call of an owl brought comfort to them as they made their way deeper into the forest. Out of the shadows, large snake-like roots ran along the dirt, intertwining with others and forming a large mass of crawling limbs like that of a spider. Yaku almost tripped over several times, the light of the stone moving wildly around the darkened space as he did so. Following the roots, they came to a large tree, branches spreading out overhead like lightning bolts in a stormy sky. Curled at its thick base, the large beast that they knew to be Kiyoko rested, tail twitching as she heard their heavy footsteps in the foliage.

"Hey." Kuroo grunted as she rose her head to greet them. "We uh, have some things to ask you."

Kiyoko tilted her head, gaze focused on Yaku as he halted and let the stone shine around them. "You went into the marsh, correct?"

"Yeah..." Yaku wasn't sure why she was asking them that but played along. "Why?"

"I remember it being...important, but I can't think why." Her voice rumbled softly, tail shifting amongst fallen leaves. "Did you encounter anything?"

"Just some old spirits that may or may not have tried to kill me." Yaku grumbled.

"Oh."

"Yeah, but that's not why we're here." Kuroo pressed, he didn't want to dally too long in this forest as the others would be worried about them. "Kunimi mentioned something apparently."

Yaku nodded and continued. "Mhm, he mentioned about two years ago about some village elders from this area going to the capitol. That one of them had a warrior accompany them who nearly ended up being the Prince's royal guard."

Kiyoko showed no sign of knowing what they were talking about. "Hm, the villages of this area...they don't talk to each other often. I think something big would have to have happened to make them want to first meet and _then_ go to Tanishiti."

"Do you remember anything big happening?" Yaku continued.

Kiyoko paused. "A lot of storms batter the coast and it is prone to bandit raids. It is possible that the villages wanted the King to do something about the raids..."

"Oh yeah," Kuroo said "didn't Kunimi say the warrior was a girl?"

The tail swishing abruptly stopped. "...a girl." Kiyoko repeated. "Wait."

"Do you remember something about her?" Yaku pressed, sensing they were onto something finally.

Kiyoko stood up, powerful claws scraping the dirt and kicking up dust as she pawed at the ground. Her wings extended as she shook her head, a faint rumbling in her chest spurring Yaku and Kuroo to step back slightly. She paced the small clearing around the tree, seemingly having an internal battle before halting and resettling herself on the floor.

"I do." She uttered, eyes closing as she let out a rumbled sigh. "...that was me."

"What?" Both males said in unison.

"I don't remember the details, but I remember flashes. The marshes were my training ground, the rough terrain and unsettling atmosphere aided in honing my skills and instincts. I remember having to journey to the capital, that it was a big deal that I took up the sword...but after that I don't remember anything."

Kuroo sighed. They were so close but so far. Yaku immediately started trying to fill in the gaps himself as they stood in silence, only the forest ambiance breaking it. Kiyoko let her head rest on her front legs curled under her, tail wrapping around her body and wings tucked in. She didn't say anymore.

"Well, at least it's _something_..." Kuroo stated, trying to lift the mood. "We'll grab Kunimi and see if he remembers anything else yeah? Don't worry, we're getting there."

Yaku raised an eyebrow in the dimness, Kuroo seemed _very_ on-board with all this now for someone who once hated the idea of even talking to Kiyoko. He nodded all the same, bidding Kiyoko goodnight and starting back to the tavern. Between the two of them they speculated a little here and there, trying to figure out a next step before Daichi inevitably asked for one.

"I think we should ask around about this female warrior." Kuroo stated. "It's not that normal so someone has to remember _something_ right?"

Yaku hummed in agreement, focusing back on leading them out of the forest.

 

* * *

 

 

Most of the regular patrons of the bar had long since left by the time Kuroo and Yaku returned, Suga and Daichi were sat at a table a few feet from the rest of the guild brothers, keeping an eye on them but also wrapped up in their own conversation. Kuroo didn't miss a beat as he strode over and pulled out a chair opposite them both.

"How are you--" Daichi began.

"Kiyoko remembered something." Kuroo bluntly interrupted, Yaku catching up finally and leaning on the table as he ignored the questions being called across from the group of rowdy males.

"Huh?" Suga didn't quite make the connection as he glanced between Yaku and Kuroo. "What did you do?"

"Normally I'd be offended that you accuse us of _doing_ something--" Kuroo remarked before cutting himself off. "anyway, Yaku overheard Kunimi talking to you about the royal guard stuff and the female warrior being almost unheard of. I figured that if it was so unusual then _maybe_ Kiyoko had heard of her and that could help us somehow."

"So we went and found her, asked her and, well she said that it was _her_." Yaku finished.

Daichi drained his tankard, exchanging a glance with Suga before sighing. "Okay...so what?"

Kuroo pouted slightly, unimpressed that Daichi wasn't jumping on this immediately. " _Well_ , surely her being a warrior of such skill that she was fucking nominated to be the Prince's royal guard would turn a few heads in such a sleepy part of the realm, no? And Kunimi said she never returned to Tanishiti, now she's a _dragon_ \--"

"Which still leaves us with missing pieces of the puzzle." Suga delicately cut in. "And Moniwa said this curse was cast by a powerful mage, so there must be a reason for it."

"How a girl goes from being a royal guard to a beast of the skies? Yeah I'd say there has to be a reason, a sick and twisted reason."

Daichi rubbed his forehead. "Jealousy, fear, anger...those are just some basic ones."

"So someone has to know something, even if it's just where she came from. I vote we ask the barkeep." Kuroo stated.

"Waltz up to her and go 'hey have you heard of a fearsome female warrior being turned into a dragon?' yeah, that's a brilliant idea." Suga sighed.

Yaku rolled his eyes, leaving the table abruptly and making his way to the bar. The girl working it wasn't much older than them, probably a local who grew up on the stories of the area. She smiled at him as he asked for a drink, setting the tankard down and collecting his coin. He lingered at the bar, knowing she didn't exactly have any other patrons to tend to.

"Can I help you?" She asked when she noted his presence still. He smiled at her.

"We're just passing through, don't really know much a about the area. You from around here?"

She raised an eyebrow, folding arms across her chest, long brown hair swishing at the movement. "Yeah, grew up in the nearest village."

"Anything we should know about the area? Anyone we should stay clear of?"

She laughed a little, high pitched but not piercing. "A few, but it's pretty quiet until you reach the coast."

"Oh yeah?"

"All of the villages get raided every other summer...well all but one. The bandits and pirates don't go near it anymore."

Yaku took a long drink. "How come? Nothing special there?"

She glanced around the tavern before stepping closer and leaning on the bar. "Between you and I, I reckon the place is cursed."

There was the lead Yaku wanted. "Cursed? Why'd you say that?"

She nervously bit on her lip. The group of brothers at the table were making enough of a racket for them not to be overheard by anyone. "Two years ago they raided it, but they all abandoned the raid in the middle of a large storm. A storm that appeared out of nowhere, flash of lightning and crash of thunder and boom--it was there."

Yaku glanced over and caught Akaashi's eye. The other rose from his seat and joined them. The girl gave him a startled look but Yaku nodded for her to continue.

"No-one really knew what made them abandon the raid, usually the storms just aide the raid a little, cause more confusion and the like. But this time they just up'ed and left in a hurry. No-one from the village spoke of it." She continued in a hushed tone. "Like, it was weird."

"Weird how?" Akaashi asked.

"That village was always so...like they were good swordsmen, they barely ever went down without a fight and were proud of it. Boasted every time they managed to keep the bandits from razing the place." She gestured to the air. "But this time there was _nothing_. No celebration. No stories of escaping death. No over-the-top tales of victory."

Yaku hummed. "They were good swordsmen?"

"Oh yeah. Very good. There was a rumour one of them was going to be a royal guard for the Prince. But again, nothing was said after that. In fact, they don't even talk to the rest of us since that last raid. It's been _three summers_ since then."

Akaashi and Yaku exchanged a glance. The timeline seemed to fit, Kiyoko hadn't really specified exactly how many years she had been in her current form.

"...what's the name of this place?" Yaku asked.

"Kaigonzoimura. It's on the southern tip of the east coast...why?"

Akaashi immediately left to tell Daichi and Suga, Yaku drained his tankard in two swigs. "Let's just say, we might have an idea of what happened...and we intend to put it right."

 


	21. First Encounters

Chapter Twenty-One

First Encounters

 

It was decided that no crazy plans would be agreed on that night, Daichi wanted time to mull the new information over before agreeing on anything. Kuroo was a little put out at this decision but could understand it; everyone was tired, the night was getting on, the tavern was warm and inviting them to sleep. He caught Akaashi's eye as the group was told to make their way to bed, he knew the other would want to ask about what he saw within his thoughts earlier and he didn't quite want to face those questions.

The hand taking his was warm, Akaashi's cheeks were rosy thanks to the ale he had been drinking. Kuroo let out a sigh as he realised there would be no interrogation that night. A small smile and gentle tug on his hand was all Kuroo needed to follow the other to their room, avoiding the ruckus of the shared rooms with ease.  Laying on the bed in silence, Kuroo wasted no time in pulling Akaashi closer to him.

"How are you feeling now?" Akaashi murmured, fingers trailing over Kuroo's shoulder. "Better?"

"Yeah, yeah..." Kuroo replied. He watched as Akaashi studied his face, the burning desire to ask questions evident in his eyes but never acting on it. In a way Kuroo wanted to bare all to Akaashi, to lift the burden off his shoulders and tell him every detail of his past. However, Kuroo knew the other wouldn't approve of it, he'd probably even be disgusted at the things Kuroo had done to stay alive, to keep himself out of harm's way. For that reason, he was going to avoid bringing it up at all costs.

"If you ever need to talk, you know I'll listen." Akaashi continued. "Don't bottle it all up 'til you implode. It'll only distract you from the task at hand and end up killing you."

"You say that, yet you barely talk." Kuroo hummed, hand resting on Akaashi's waist, thumb rubbing circles through the leather layers covering him.

"There's not much to say." Akaashi blinked slowly, fingers mirroring the motions of Kuroo's thumb. "Unless you want to debate why my abilities are developing faster than ever."

"We could, you have any theories?"

"Not particularly, Hinata's presence isn't enough alone to spur these changes." Akaashi shrugged. "Likewise with Nishinoya."

"The guild has undergone a shift in dynamics though with Noya returning and Hinata arriving. A lot of tension has risen, could that be it?"

"Maybe, stress of that, this quest, the changing seasons..." Akaashi trailed off, eyes slipping shut momentarily. "It could just be the time for them to grow again."

"Mage abilities don't just 'grow' without a catalyst, Kenma could tell you that easily enough." Kuroo snorted, moving his hand up to cup Akaashi's cheek.

"Well maybe the catalyst isn't just _one_ thing..." Akaashi mumbled, sleep quickly beginning to claim him. "maybe it's a collection...there aren't many singular actions that can set off a change like this."

Kuroo had to admit he didn't know much about how mages developed, he had limited know-how from his smuggling days and picked up a fair amount from Kenma's mumblings on the subjects. He knew all mages were different and to never assume anything.

"What kind of singular actions are we talking about here?"

Akaashi was borderline asleep, lips framing words but quiet enough that Kuroo had to lean closer to hear. "Drastic emotional shifts, changes in environment..."

Kuroo decided to let the other sleep, pressing lips to his forehead and smiling as Akaashi relaxed further and gave into sleep's embrace. From what Akaashi had said, it seemed he was indicating that there was no one answer to why his powers had developed so quickly, nor if they had reached their limit for the time being or not. Time would tell, for now it just appeared that Akaashi could hear voices in his mind and sense when things were going south for certain members of the guild. Alone, those didn't raise many concerns, in truth they would be useful in the right circumstances, but the fact that they had even grown to that extent was more concerning.

Akaashi slept without any signs of nightmares, Kuroo soon found himself giving into the need to rest more. He felt drained after having his thoughts read and soothed, the trip into the forest and surge of new information had now begun to take its toll on him. It seemed likely that they would be on the road again very shortly if Daichi deemed it appropriate, so Kuroo tried to ignore his deep thinking and let himself slowly fall asleep. He had a feeling he'd need to be well-rested.

 

* * *

 

 

Breakfast was a simple ordeal, the tavern provided them a basic meal and the guild made sure to pay them for the trouble. Daichi had been thinking everything over, talking through their options with Suga and trying to work out how to best proceed. Yaku had voiced his preferred option being that they make haste for Kaiganzoimura and seek out direct answers, Suga was quick to point out the size of the group and how it would almost certainly arouse suspicion, prompting a more heated debate into how they were supposed to handle this situation.

"Well what was the point in bringing everyone if it was gonna be this much of an issue?" Yaku sighed, drumming his fingertips on the table as Suga folded his arms across his chest.

"We didn't know it would lead all the way to this." Suga countered, the toll of being on the road and trying to keep everyone from killing one another was starting to weigh on his shoulders. "And I'm still adamant that marching all twelve of us in there is only going to get us chased out."

"So what _do_ you propose we do?"

Daichi sighed heavily. "Enough, both of you." He stated, silencing the two immediately. "I think it's pretty simple what we do, in order to save both resources and our own skin, we send in a small party to scout out the place and figure out if there is any point in the others following."

"A'ight." Bokuto was quick to agree to Daichi's idea, avoiding conflict as much as possible was his main goal in these discussions. "So who are you sending?"

There was a pause, Daichi glanced around the table at the guild-brothers. He had mulled it over a bit; who he'd want scouting out the place, who he could trust to absorb information whilst also being charismatic with the locals who'd no doubt be suspicious, who would be able to defend themselves if things turned ugly.

"If I may, Kuroo can you head the party?" Daichi turned to the other leader. "Given your history with sweet-talking people for information I think you'll be best suited for this."

"Uh, sure." Kuroo nodded.

"Take Bokuto for extra muscle." Daichi added before meeting Kenma's eye. "And you know what kind of thing we're looking for, right?"

Kenma nodded. "Yes."

"Okay, and I want Hinata to go with you." Daichi finished, catching the fire mage off guard. Hinata startled slightly as everyone looked at him.

"Wha? Me? W-Why?"

Suga and Yaku gave Daichi a puzzled look. "Not to be rude, but yeah why Hinata?" Suga asked.

Daichi smiled slightly. "His appearance isn't threatening like some of us, and it'll make the group seem more natural."

"You got your sly leader, the meat-head, the academic and the little kid." Kindaichi remarked, getting a half-hearted scowl from Bokuto for the nickname.

"I'll have you know I'm more than my body shape!"

"Yeah you're also a loud-mouth." Kuroo taunted with a smirk. Bokuto playfully punched the other in the shoulder as the guild-brothers returned to listening to Daichi.

"Any questions?"

"What are we looking for?" Hinata asked, feeling guilty for not really paying attention until now.

"You're going into Kaiganzoimura, your main goal is to find out if anyone knows if the story about a female swordsman - or rather, swords-woman - and if so, what happened to her. Obviously this is a risky question to ask, so Kuroo is tasked with coming up with a more subtle way of doing this. Kenma will be on the lookout for any obvious traces of rituals taking place, any naturally rich resources like herbs and anyone with an abnormally large knowledge on the matter. You'll be assisting in just keeping a lookout for anyone acting suspiciously towards the group, the questions asked or anything at all." Daichi explained. "If things go south, you can all defend yourselves in however you see fit, got it?"

"Yes sir" Bokuto saluted unnecessarily, getting a snigger out of some of the brothers.

"And you'll only be there for the day, you are to return here as quickly as possible unless you've found a convincing lead."

"Got it."

"So when do we leave?" Hinata asked, eyeing the window where they could see the steadily rising sun.

"Now."

 

* * *

 

 

The trail leading away from the tavern was a little overgrown to say the least. It was almost like the village they were headed to didn't want to be found. Hinata batted away the large leaves that threatened to hit him in the face as he followed Kuroo's lead. They had left on foot, taking a single horse between them may have seemed odd for a group of scouts. Suga and Nishinoya had given them a story to tell the villagers if they asked who they were and where they hailed from, Bokuto was a little put out that they couldn't just straight up say they were assassins.

The tavern-maid Yaku had spoken to warned them not to stray from the trails, she was convinced that the stories of over-sized wolves in the area were not simple myths to keep bandits away. Kuroo assured her they would heed her warning, whether they would actually follow it would remain to be seen. It was a warmer day than the previous few had been, the sun was shining as it rose higher in the sky, the surrounding foliage made it seem humid on the trail as Kuroo followed the directions they had been given. For most of the trip, they walked in silence, saving the speculation for later.

It didn't take too long to reach the edge of the overgrown foliage, the leaves opening up to a grassy field that gradually ran uphill. Once at the crest of the small hill, they caught a glimpse of the village situated in the cove below. Kenma cast his eyes over the collection of small one-story homes; most were of wooden design like Kōshi but with heavy roofs to try and combat the strong winds that battered the coast, some were a little larger - the businesses of the village Kenma guessed. From their vantage point they could easily spot the home of the village elder; a large building on top of a small natural mound of stones, fortified with heavy fencing to try and keep the sea from washing it away if it ever flooded. Two burning fires in metal braziers aligned the doorway, calling attention to it from afar.

"Well." Kuroo sighed, taking stock of the scene and immediately noticing how few people were out and about. "Shall we go and poke around?"

"You bet." Bokuto smiled.

Hinata followed the two older males, trying not to let his nerves show. This wasn't a necessarily dangerous mission in terms of violence, but it had every chance to go wrong if someone thought they were up to no good. He focused more on taking in their surroundings; there were hardly any signs of children in the village, he remembered his home and how loud it could get with the sound of laughter and shrieking from the little ones but here there was only eerie silence. He also noted the penned up cattle and goats, even in the wilder parts of the realm the animals were usually left to roam free, yet here they were kept in paddocks like horses.

They began walking down the main road into the village, locals gave them a wide berth and strange looks. Hinata was used to being seen as an outsider, but this was uncomfortable to say the least. Kuroo led them towards a larger building, the anvil outside gave it away as the blacksmith's, or at least a labourer's place. A quick knock at the wooden door was answered by a woman, she eyed them with an air of suspicion before asking what they wanted.

"We're just trying to find a port to sail from," Kuroo replied, trying to remember Suga's story to spin. "we're looking to go to the next realm over--"

"We don't sail from here." She replied curtly. "And we don't like visitors."

"Oh, well uh. Sorry for disturbing you--"

The door was slammed in Kuroo's face before he could finish. Bokuto raised an eyebrow as he glanced around and took stock of the remaining businesses. Kenma snorted as he immediately turned and started walking away, Hinata hot on his heels.

"That was...unexpected." Kuroo murmured as they paused in the middle of the road.

"Hardly." Kenma uttered. "I could tell immediately that this place is cut off from the rest of the realm for a reason...though what reason, who knows."

"We need to find someone who'll talk to us." Bokuto stated, Hinata stopped paying attention as he saw a young girl watching them from behind a pile of old fishing nets. She held his gaze as the others kept discussing their options, not seeming afraid as he stepped closer to her.

To Hinata, she didn't seem much older than five. He crouched down on one knee to appear less threatening, she glanced over her shoulder before cautiously walking towards him. The others noticed what was happening but refrained from interrupting as she got close enough to Hinata to talk to them.

"Who are you?" She asked, long black hair swept up in a complex braid that Hinata would have no hope trying to recreate. Beads in her hair clinked together in the sea breeze as she stood in front of them, a yellow, well-worn dress flapped a little as she rocked on the balls of her feet.

"We're scouts from a merchants guild." Hinata replied quietly. "We want to hire a boat to get along the coast a little to another village."

She shook her head. "We don't sail here. The water is dangerous."

Hinata tilted his head to the side. "Why is the water dangerous?"

Kenma crouched next to him, interested to hear what the girl had to say. She looked between the two of them before glancing over her shoulder again. "Mama said that bad men came on the water."

"Bad men?" Kenma repeated.

"She means raiders." Kuroo whispered to Bokuto who nodded.

"Yeah, they came in the night with fire. They wanted to hurt us, mama said. But the elder protected us, he protected us with his warrior."

"His warrior?" Hinata was trying to piece together what the girl was talking about. "What was the warrior like?"

She smiled, tucking stray pieces of hair behind her ear. "She was fast--and had a sharp sword. The bad men laughed at her though, said she wasn't a 'real warrior'."

"She." Kenma murmured under his breath. "What happened next?"

"Mama said that the warrior promised to protect us no matter what." The girl continued. "A storm came in though so we hid inside. And when we all came out, the warrior was gone, but so were the bad men. Mama says that the warrior protected us, that she's still protecting us even though she's up there." She raised her hand to point at the sky. "The bad men haven't come back, but the elder says we shouldn't leave the village as the warrior can't protect us if we leave."

Hinata nodded, Kuroo and Bokuto were almost horrified when they read between the lines of what the little girl was saying. Kenma was already slotting in the new information in his mind as the sea breeze whistled around them.

"Can we talk to the elder?" Kenma asked. "Can you point to where he is?"

The girl nodded, pointing to the large building with fire-pits outside it. "He's grumpy sometimes, but mama says it's because he wants to protect us still."

Kuroo met Hinata's gaze and nodded. Hinata turned back to the girl and smiled. "Thank you for telling us that story, but you should probably head back to your mother before she worries about you."

She giggled and nodded before running back to where she had come from. With a sigh, he stood back up and turned to the others. "So what was she on about?"

"My best guess," Kenma spoke quietly "is that Kiyoko was that warrior, the raiders attacked the village and then during that storm something happened for her to end up as a dragon."

"You think the raiders did it?" Bokuto asked. "Turn their enemy into a dragon and get it to turn on its own people?"

Kenma shrugged. "Possibly. Some of these raiding parties do have strong mages in them."

"Well I reckon we need to talk to this elder, see what his take on it is." Kuroo stated as he began to walk towards the building with the others in tow. "Because clearly Kiyoko isn't 'up there', she's alive."

"Yes. So either he told them she was dead to keep them under control, or he's covering something up."

"Cover _what_ up though?" Hinata asked.

"That's what we need to figure out." Kuroo murmured, reaching the door and knocking. A large burly male answered, narrowing his eyes at the party before letting them in once Kuroo politely requested to talk to the elder about 'merchant opportunities'.

As soon as they were inside the large room, Hinata felt his stomach tighten. Kenma met his gaze and mouthed 'I feel it too' before continuing to follow Kuroo and Bokuto. The room was decked out like a throne room in the royal court; long benches against either wall, large support pillars keeping the ceiling up, two more fire-pits either side of the seat where an old but comfortably-fit looking male sat. Furs and pelts of large animals adorned the seat and his clothes, the pelt of a black bear contrasting his white beard and bright blue eyes as he regarded them silently. Behind him a sword was mounted on the wall; blade square-ish in shape but sharpened to a point, the hilt adorned with golden plating and polished well. It looked like it had been used well, several small chips in the edge a testament to its use, but Hinata couldn't really imagine the stocky male using such a thin blade himself.

Hinata met his gaze and felt his stomach tighten a little, the elder held the gaze and smirked a little before Kuroo stole his attention back.

"Uh, so we're scouts from a merchant's guild walking travelling down the eastern coast." He spun the story with ease like he had done many times before. "And we're just on the lookout for villages who'd be looking to gain from a trade route to the capital."

"Right." The elder scratched his beard, gaze flickering over to Hinata. "And you bought a mage with you?"

None of them had quite expected that response, much least Hinata.

"He's one of the rookies, needed to give him a taste of the process y'know? He's an elemental guy so no need to worry about us playing mind games." Kuroo quickly recovered.

"No deal. He waits outside." The elder stated, the burly male from before stepping forward. "I'll have no mages here."

Kenma found it intriguing how he hadn't been found out, but he wasn't about to own up to it in a hurry. "I'll wait with him." He stated to Kuroo, taking Hinata's hand and nodding to the elder. "If that's fine with you."

"Yes, fine. Just don't go snooping around." The elder waved them off brashly.

Hinata allowed Kenma to drag him outside, confused and a little paranoid now but refrained from questioning it immediately until they were out of earshot.

"I don't know Shoyo." Kenma sighed, canvassing the surrounding area. "But we can still make ourselves useful."

"But he said--"

"His power lies within the village, not the areas _outside_ of it." Kenma cut in, nodding towards the coastline; a narrow strip of pebbled beach lead away from the houses and along the bottom of the cliffs. "I want to see where _that_ leads."


	22. Speculation

Chapter Twenty-Two

Speculation

 

The waves came up over the pebbles just short of where they were walking along the beach, they hugged the cliff face when the path narrowed and walked side by side when they could. Kenma kept thinking they would run out of pathway at some point but there'd always be just a little more hidden by a curve in the cliff. They had almost lost track of how far away they were when the path took an abrupt turn inland and uphill. After climbing up the steep incline, they found themselves overlooking the cove from the opposite side to before, the village seemed almost deserted save for the fire-pits and livestock.

"...an overlook." Kenma hummed as Hinata caught his breath from the impromptu hike. Glancing around the area, Kenma caught a scent of something in the nearby grove of trees. He made his way over, trying to find the source for the pungent aroma as Hinata followed. "Can you smell that?"

Hinata inhaled deeply, getting assaulted by the strong herby smell. "Yeah, what is it?"

"Sage." Kenma replied, brushing back some low-hanging branches of a willow tree. "Sage that has been burnt recently."

"Huh...and what does that mean--" Hinata cut himself off as they stepped into a clearing. His stomach was twisting again, a crawling sensation over his skin and the feeling of being watched all bombarding his senses in quick succession. "...Kenma I don't think we should--"

"Be here?" Kenma finished, taking in the clearing; to the unknowing person, it just seemed like a natural grassy space ideal for relaxing in. However, he could see the lines cut out in the grass, the familiar shape of a circle and the sheer scale of it indicating much more had taken place. "I agree. There's something hanging here...residual energy."

"It feels wrong." Hinata said weakly. "Like something happened here that shouldn't have."

"Yeah," Kenma started walking around the outside of the circle. The grass had grown around the groves in the dirt, not breaking the formation but still trying to reclaim the land. He could smell the sage stronger at one particular point, cautiously he brushed some of the grass back and found the charred remains of the herb in question, delicately place inside a smaller circle. It confirmed what he had suspected.

"...it feels like someone is watching us." Hinata breathed, looking over his shoulder every few moments.

"This place has been used in rituals. I'll give you one guess as to what ritual I think took place here."

"But that was years ago? Why is there freshly burnt sage here _now_?"

Kenma stood up from where he had crouched down to investigate the circle. "My guess, they burn sage here as an offering to 'the warrior' in exchange for protection."

"But Kiyoko--"

"We know that, but if the elder is the only one who knows for sure what happened and told the villagers a different story, why _wouldn't_ they treat her like a martyr and goddess?"

Hinata swallowed, the smell of sage in the air was beginning to make him feel nauseous. "But...why a circle if they're just offering sage?"

There was a pause. "Because Shoyo, I think this is where Kiyoko was transmutated. I think this is where it happened, and the villagers were told she was killed here. For whatever reason, the circle has remained and they haven't actively gotten rid of it."

Hinata let the silence settle, the wind rustled the trees and rushed through the long grass, whipping up the ashes of the sage and making the scent waft through the air more. The burning question was now what to do with all this information.

"I think Nishinoya and Akaashi need to come here." Kenma stated. "Nishinoya could pin down what other magic has happened here, Akaashi might be able to...see flashes of it."

"See flashes?" Hinata asked, this was the first he'd heard of Akaashi having that kind of ability.

"Yeah, when we started making our way to your camp outside the marsh, he told me about how he had started seeing flashes of events. He saw the wolves you fought, whether it was in the past or present we don't know. He isn't sure what to make of it, but he might be able to replicate it if we bring him here."

With little reason or desire to hang around, they decided to head back to the others. Hinata was relieved to leave the clearing, shrugging off the feeling of being watched as they walked back along the beach. The sick feeling in his stomach was still there, something about the elder didn't sit right with him, mostly due to how easily he singled out Hinata was a mage but there was something _else_ about him. Something not quite right.

 

* * *

 

 

Kuroo knew he had done a poor job of hiding his blade from the elder, it being strapped to his leg on full show was a misjudgement but it also served as a warning. Bokuto never needed blades to appear threatening, his build was enough for that, he could easily snap necks and throw people against walls if he really needed to. Neither of them particularly wanted to end this meeting in violence, but the act of singling out Hinata had set them both on edge. Sure, the smaller male didn't quite fit the stereotypical appearance of a scout, he was too scrawny for it and lacked the wounds of the wilds, but for the elder to _immediately_ single him out for a mage just by meeting his gaze was odd.

"So, what great tell is your guild about?" The elder asked, eyeing Kuroo's blade with interest. "Weapons dealers?"

"You could say that." Kuroo replied, putting on his cool-headed act as he paced the room slightly. "We do deal in weapons, and people to wield them. We also deal in slightly risky goods, ones that your run-of-the-mill city dwellers shy away from."

"Treasure hunters and weapon dealers. Am I supposed to be impressed?"

"Well, we were simply told to canvas the coastal towns and villages, we've had a few interested parties in our services. One of the elders north of here was _very_ interested in our offer to eliminate a few bandits troubling his port."

"Mercs too? You certainly aren't into niche markets are you?" The elder seemed amused but suspicious. "And bandits? We already assured ourselves they won't be bothering us."

Bokuto exchanged a look with Kuroo, getting a nod to bring up what the tavern-maid had said. "Yeah, we had heard they don't bother your people. We'd be interested to know how you managed that one."

"I don't sell our information to outsiders."

"We heard you don’t sail from your port," Kuroo changed the subject quickly. "such a shame, you've got a pretty good path out to sea."

"Watch your tone, are you here to barter a deal or question our traditions?" The burly bodyguard interrupted, he had been stood in silence for most of the time but seemed adamant to keep them from interrogating the elder.

"Yes, sorry. Simple curiosity." Kuroo apologised with a smile. "So you don't need to deal with bandits, you don't really seem to need weapons...what about day-to-day supplies? Your livestock is in good health but surely a fresh bull or new does for your goat herd wouldn't go amiss?"

There was a slight pause as the elder seemed to mull it over. "True we could benefit from some fresh blood in our herds, the poor weather means some of the kids and calves don't survive the winter. I'd have to think on it, depends how much you're asking of course."

Kuroo shrugged. "Not really for me to say, given how remote you are we'd have to consider the best way of getting them here. Usually I'd say by sea but if you don't sail from here then I imagine you don't accept boats in."

The elder regarded Kuroo with a pensive expression. "You're here to barter trade deals yet you can't tell me how much your goods are?"

Bokuto saw Kuroo's eyes widen slightly, not used to being caught out. He stepped forward and cleared his throat. "It does sound stupid, but we're not the ones who make the call. As my friend here said, because of your remote location and...uh...dislike of sailing from your own port, the price would probably increase but we can't say _exactly_ how much. We don't wanna overcharge you of course, so we'd be more inclined to send one of our boys back to our trading caravan for a quote."

The elder ran his fingers through his beard, gaze flicking between both of them. "I see."

"Of course, this also depends on how you want to pay; by coin or by resource." Bokuto continued.

"Our main trade is fish and animal hides. We don't have anything else."

Kuroo raised an eyebrow, remembering the abundant foliage they walked through to get to the village. "No herbs or anything? We spotted a few good sources of some rare ones around your village. You could make a healthy profit off just a few bushels of the stuff."

"We prefer to use those herbs ourselves, not part with them."

"Hm? Use them in what? Most of those herbs don't have medicinal qualities or are suitable for eating. I'd hazard a guess that they're used more in making elixirs and potions, sparingly. We have some very wealthy mage clients who'd kill for some of them." Kuroo easily spun the story, sensing he was onto something now.

"And you think we don't use them for elixirs?" The elder asked.

"Hemlock is poisonous." Bokuto bluntly stated. "So the only thing you'll get out of it is probably poison. Even if you used it to lace arrows or traps for animals, the toxic nature would render the game inedible, you'd poison yourself."

Kuroo mentally screamed, he didn't want to outright accuse the guy yet. He nodded slightly and waited for the elder to respond.

"You two certainly know how to pick at tiny details, don't you?" He hummed. "Tell you what, you piss off back to your guild and I won't send my village guard after you for your hides. And take your mage with you."

The bodyguard stepped forward, unsheathing his sword as a visual warning. Kuroo bit on his tongue and nodded before grabbing Bokuto's arm and hauling him out of the door. They got down onto the main path just as Kenma and Hinata returned, not wanting to waste a moment Kuroo told them he'd explain back at the tavern. One thing was for sure; there was something weird about the village and the elder wasn't someone to take on lightly.

 

* * *

 

 

It had been a quiet day in the tavern. With Kuroo taking the scouting party ahead OT check out the village, the rest of the guild had found themselves with a day off. Most of them decided to relax in the tavern, playing cards and enjoying not having to look over their shoulders every few moments for fear of death. Despite the home comforts, Suga stated he needed to go hunting for food, using it as an opportunity to talk to Akaashi about what really happened in the marshland.

Usually when Suga went hunting with someone, he demanded absolute silence so not to disturb the game they were hunting. Akaashi was good at not startling the game, he preferred to watch the target and take in its behaviour before striking. Suga was always just looking for the weak point or quickest way to stop it running away, occasionally he'd set up an ambush with Bokuto or use the other's traps to their advantage but the blacksmith was hardly known for his subtlety. However, this morning Suga's mind was not only on catching a few hares off guard or getting lucky and catching a stag. He held his bow in front of him, arrow poised to be drawn back at a moment's notice as they surveyed the creek they had crossed the day before. Where there was water, there was always prey. It was a cool day, not even the canopy of trees overhead made the forest overly humid as they crouched in the bushes. His mind was wandering as the silence drew on.

"How did you know to find Bokuto's camp?" He asked, voice barely above a whisper, noting Akaashi's eyebrow raise at the fact he wanted to talk whilst hunting.

"...I just had a feeling." Akaashi replied. "We were heading south anyway after coming up short on info."

"A feeling. A feeling like when the guild was being attacked?"

"I did not hear Bokuto or Yaku in my thoughts, no. I did feel something was wrong though."

Suga nodded, attention focusing on the sound of something splashing in the creek, it was a small hare, barely worth killing. "Anything else?"

Akaashi huffed slightly. "I saw a brief flash of a wolf snapping its jaws when Kenma asked me if someone was dying. It lasted for an instant, I barely caught it."

The hunter was silent, watching the hare disappear into the bushes again. "...so now you're getting visions."

"And don't even get me started on the marsh itself."

"I'm listening. All we got was that Kenma's hunch was right about the old spirits."

Akaashi shifted his crouched position, not looking at Suga but instead at the trickling water. He wasn't really one to talk about his experiences, he preferred to keep them to himself, but years in the company of Kuroo and Daichi had softened him a little. He was always telling them to talk about the things bugging them, and now _he_ was the one being almost ordered to vent.

"They spoke to us, the mages of the group. Kenma seemed unfazed by it all." He murmured. "Hinata looked like he was going to pass out. They spoke in an old language, I've seen it written on old relics we've fenced but I can't speak or translate it myself. It wasn't the voices that bothered me though, it was the feeling that I couldn't control my thoughts."

"They took control?"

"No, they drowned _my_ thoughts out." Akaashi breathed, not really able to stop himself talking now he had started. "I know that when I look into Kuroo's thoughts I don't have that effect. My...my people are always able to shove me out if I touch a raw nerve. I couldn't even _think_ to do that when I was in that marsh."

"Oh..." Suga's hand on his shoulder startled him a little, the hunter offered a reassuring smile before going back to looking for game.

"Yeah, and when I finally got my head back, I got more flashes...flashes of Yaku lying in a pool. The pool we found him in."

"Your visions led everyone to him?"

"Kinda, I led them based on my vision I guess? It was a stressful circumstance Sugawara...one I'm not in a hurry to repeat."

Suga let the conversation die, spotting a small doe emerging from the bushes to drink from the creek. He nodded to Akaashi as a sign to be quiet. Once the doe was drinking from the creek, Suga drew his bow, slotting the arrow against the string and letting out a steady breath. He aimed for the space between her eyes, a quick painless death would await her. Akaashi waited, watching for any other potential kills as Suga let the arrow go, it whistled through the air faster than the doe could react. A small splash signalled that it had been successful.

"So how is Kuroo holding up?" Suga asked as they emerged from their spot to reap the benefits of their kill. Any other deer that had been nearby had bolted at the sound of trouble.

Akaashi thought to sugarcoat it, to tell Suga everything was fine, to assure the other that Kuroo was completely mentally stable. He then decided _someone_ had to know the truth, someone other than him.

"He's holding something back. When I read his thoughts to try and soothe them I heard snippets of conversation. Voices I didn't recognise, a feeling of fear and anger rolled into one." Akaashi replied as Suga made short work of skinning the deer and wrapping the usable pieces of the carcass in thin leather. "I didn't ask him at the time, but I'm willing to bet there's something in his past he's reluctant to share."

The other nodded, taking in all the information as he worked. "Well, you know the guild's view on that, you don't _have_ to share your past if you don't want to."

"Yeah, but whatever it is, he's still suffering because of it."

"And Kunimi is still a bad-tempered teenager who hates mages and the Royals." Suga retorted. "I see your point Keiji, I really do, but we can't demand Kuroo tells us his past if we're willing to let everyone else keep theirs hidden."

"...but he's different." Akaashi whispered, not intending Suga to hear him, but the hunter had honed his hearing after the years of stalking prey and luck was not smiling on Akaashi that morning.

"How is he different?" A small smile on Suga's face indicated he was taking an educated guess. The slight rosy tint to Akaashi's cheeks indicated he was thinking along the right lines.

"I want to help him get over it." Akaashi's gaze fixed on the running water as opposed to Suga's somewhat smug face. "If he's hurting then the rest of the guild will suffer, he'll make a mistake, get someone killed...again."

"And you don't want that guilt to hit him?"

"I don't want anyone to die because of him," Akaashi snapped "much less because he's so scared of screwing up again!"

Suga had to admit, he didn't know anything about Kuroo's smuggling days. He wasn't even aware he had killed before the first assassination job came around. He quickly stood up as Akaashi let out a frustrated sigh, a sign the other was feeling overwhelmed and at war with himself.

"Keiji, what did you hear inside his thoughts?"

The assassin shook his head. He had a hunch what it was linked to but he didn't want to say. He had speculated what it all meant; why Kuroo was so adamant to get the Blue Serpents off their back, why he was so reluctant to let the Kiyoko situation draw the guild away from the other enemy they faced, why he was so fiercely protective of all of them both in and out of jobs.

"...what Kunimi said that the scouts told him before he murdered them, that Kuroo has been _and still is_ being hunted for so long." Akaashi refused to look Suga in the eye even as the hunter moved in front of him and took his shoulders gently. "When I heard the phrase 'back-stabbing little shit' in Kuroo's thoughts, I wasn't sure what it meant but now...I think I have an idea."

"What is it?" Suga softly asked, trying to keep his own speculation at bay.

"Kuroo...Kuroo was one of them." Akaashi hated the way the words rolled off his tongue. They tasted foul, like one of Kenma's remedies for hemlock poisoning. "I think he was a Blue Serpent."

 


	23. Repercussions

Chapter Twenty-Three

Repercussions

"Are you sure that's what he said?"

"Positive."

"...well, that's uh...an issue."

Suga held his head in his hands as Daichi drummed his fingers on the table in thought. They had retreated to a table on the other side of the tavern to the others. A very animated game of cards had Kindaichi threatening to castrate Tanaka for cheating and in turn keeping everyone's attention away from the guild leader dealing with a new development in his charges.

"...suppose he's wrong, that he got his thoughts muddied in the marsh, what else is there to indicate that Kuroo's been keeping a secret that big from us?" Daichi asked. "In all the jobs I've done with Kuroo he's never even mentioned being in a band of mercs of the likes of the Serpents."

"I'd hardly call them _mercs_." Suga uttered. "Kidnappers, thieves, murderers just for the fun of it...and that's just what we know they do. Rumour is they do so much more..."

Daichi nodded, it was impossible to really know what they did. He didn't want to think Kuroo had done half of it, but he knew Kuroo picked up his smuggling and bartering skills from _somewhere_. He sighed. "It's possible that he left that life behind him and doesn't wish to dwell on it. We all know he had a history with them but I've always worked under the assumption that he screwed with some of their jobs."

"It's possible, I wouldn't blame him for it." Suga whispered, finally letting on how distraught he was at the situation. He had kept it together after Akaashi first told him, not quite laughing it off but trying to comfort the other all the same. Inside however, he was questioning everything he knew about Kuroo, his true intentions, his morals and reasoning. It left him feeling sick to his stomach. Sure, the guild killed for a living and occasionally stole from nobles, but that was child's play compared to what the Serpents were rumoured to do.

"Asking Kuroo now could prove traumatic though," Daichi continued. "He won't take too kindly to the accusation--"

"But we need peace of mind." Suga cut in, pulling his hands away and folding them on the table. "We're not a small group anymore, there are twelve of us, thirteen if we count Kiyoko."

"Are you saying you don't trust Kuroo now?"

The hunter swallowed, not able to meet Daichi's gaze. Daichi let out a heavy sigh, reaching across and gently taking hold of Suga's hands. The question hung in the air for a few moments, the excited chatter from the rowdy group on the other side of the tavern filling the silence until Suga could bring himself to answer.

"...I'm saying we need to be careful." He said, squeezing Daichi's hands as he spoke. "Akaashi may have gotten it wrong sure, he may have imagined the connection but..." He trailed off, worrying his lip between his teeth. "He loves Kuroo, you and I both know that in the way he acts. He wouldn't cast doubt against Kuroo if he wasn't sure."

Daichi nodded. "Okay. I'll talk to him, I'll get us some peace of mind."

They didn't have to wait long. Within the hour, Kuroo returned with the others. It was clear to the guild that things did not go according to plan, whatever the original plan was. Kenma seemed rattled, Hinata was complaining of nausea and Kuroo was pacing the room whilst they waited for everyone to gather at one table to hear what was going on. Bokuto was the one nominated to start the explanation.

"So, to put it bluntly..." Bokuto rubbed the back of his neck. "The elder's a lunatic."

"Please expand on that point." Yaku dryly stated.

"He sussed out that Hinata was a mage without him even saying anything. One look and bam-- told Hinata to leave or he wouldn't talk to us." Bokuto glanced to Kenma for some guidance on how to explain what else they found. "and uh, there's something a little disturbing about how the village views Kiyoko."

"Right..." Daichi motioned for them to quit stalling and get on with it.

"They basically view her as a martyr. The villagers believe she died in battle and is now...is now a guardian spirit over them."

"What? But she's very much alive." Tanaka blurted out.

"Well, that's the thing ain't it? We know that, and we reckon the elder does too but the villagers seem to...not know that."

Kenma cleared his throat as he stood from his seat. "We found a circle carved into the ground on top an overlook. It bears all the markings of a conjuring circle and someone has recently been burning sage up there." He explained. "My hunch is that's where Kiyoko was transmutated, but we're still lacking the answers to 'why' and 'how'."

Daichi nodded, glancing to Nishinoya for any pearls of wisdom the mage might have to offer. There was a troubled expression on his face as he met Daichi's gaze and huffed.

"I guess I can go there and see if I can sense...something? I'm not sure what you want me to do?" Nishinoya clenched his fists on the table.

"My advice," Kenma spoke up "be prepared to feel something...otherworldly. It's heavy up there, not like the marsh but there's definitely something off about it."

"I'm going too." Akaashi announced, drawing attention to him abruptly. Kuroo snapped out of his thoughts and stared at the other.

"Then I'm going with you. If you nearly pass out again like in the--"

"No." Suga stood up, exchanging a glance with Daichi. "No Kuroo, you're staying here."

"What?"

"You're exhausted, you need to rest." Suga continued. "Akaashi will be fine with Noya and Kenma."

A tense silence fell. Daichi met Kuroo's disbelieving gaze with calm eyes, he cleared his throat before moving on with addressing the others.

"Okay, Kenma are you okay with leading Noya and Akaashi to the clearing?"

"Yes, but I ask that some others accompany us in case something goes awry, I was thinking Tanaka and Yaku?"

Daichi nodded. "Kunimi and Kindaichi," he caught the two sentries off guard but they nodded as he continued. "I want you to scout out the area around the village. Find out how they manage to hunt enough food to not need to trade with outsiders. Try not to alert them to your presence in the process."

"Got it boss." Kindaichi replied.

"And the rest of us will remain here." Daichi finished, meeting Kuroo's gaze again. "Hinata looks like he's going to pass out any minute, Bokuto I want you to prepare our weapons. I don't think this is going to be as straightforward as we'd hoped. Be prepared for bloodshed."

"You think we're gonna have to fight?" Yaku said.

"I think given the circumstances, we need to be prepared for the worst; the village turning on us."

There was an unanswered question hanging in the air, 'would they fight a village just to turn Kiyoko back?', but no-one dared to ask it. Kuroo didn't say anything as he left the tavern, letting the door slam behind him. Daichi immediately rose to his feet and followed, remarking to the others that the day was young enough for them to go back to the clearing if they wanted.

 

* * *

 

 

Birds startled in the trees as he walked through the woods. Twigs snapped under his feet, leaves crunching and the quick shallow pants of breath filling the silence. Kuroo wasn't taking it personally, he _was_ exhausted, but not in a way that one afternoon off would solve it. What he _did_ have a problem with was Suga all but forbidding him from going with Akaashi. Sure it was going to be dangerous, but they all vowed to go on this quest knowing full well it was going to be a risk to their lives.

Like it or not, Akaashi's powers were growing with each twist of the quest, and Kuroo wanted to make sure he was safe. He wanted to make sure that if another incident like the marsh happened, he was there to help. Why was Suga forbidding him to be there? Why was Suga getting so paranoid _now_? And why was Daichi listening to Suga over him? Kuroo knew they were close, that Suga often gave Daichi his level-headed opinions on situations before a choice was made, but why make _this_ decision without talking to him first?

He had sat on the trunk of a fallen tree, ivy and moss had been claiming it for several months but hadn't completely covered it yet. He sighed heavily, holding his head in his hands as he tried to figure out what the hell was going on. Padded footsteps caught his attention; heavy, slow, cautious like they were gauging his reaction.

"I'm not going to draw my sword on you Daichi." He uttered, turning to the other. He knew he would be followed, he just didn't know who or how long it would take them to reach him. "But you're going to tell me why the fuck Suga seems so adamant I shouldn't go with Keiji."

Daichi had expected a small amount of backlash from Kuroo over it. He didn't really want to entertain the idea of Kuroo actively deceiving them for all this time, he didn't believe Kuroo could've been faking it all this time. He respected Suga's concern but he had known Kuroo for years, he had risked his lifetime and time again for the other and Kuroo had repaid the favour countless times too. It had been _Kuroo_ who wanted to set up a guild, a place of refuge for outcasts, a place where they didn't have to think about the world outside the walls if they didn't want to. Daichi found it doubtful that Kuroo would still be in with the Serpents, given that he had reacted so negatively to them appearing on their doorstep and gone to such extremes to keep everyone safe. Or as safe as they could be.

There was the issue of Kuroo not telling them much about his past. Daichi had run into him in a tavern and he simply stated he had recently been travelling solo, they struck a laugh over a game of cards and decided to travel together. The rest as far as Daichi was concerned was history. There had been nothing in any of their jobs to indicate he had foul intentions. However, people don't just 'leave' organisations like the Blue Serpents without paying a heavy price - usually their lives - so what had happened to split Kuroo from his past? That was just one of the questions ticking through Daichi's mind.

"He's...he's reacting to something he heard." Daichi said, sitting next to Kuroo on the tree trunk. "Something that has him a little panicked."

"Well trust me, I'm all fucking ears." Kuroo muttered, seeing no sense in getting _angry_ at Daichi, but he wasn't about to not let his attitude towards the situation go amiss. "And we have all afternoon, so _please_ enlighten me."

Daichi knew he had to tread carefully, if he worded it wrong and outright accused Kuroo of still having connections with the Serpents then it was likely the other leader would march back to Suga and give him a piece of his fist for it all. Likewise, he didn't want to mislead the other, to sugarcoat the concern that was casting a shadow over him.

"Don't jump to any conclusions, and don't leave until I've finished okay?" Daichi sighed. "And let me tell you what _I_ think afterwards."

Kuroo grunted in acknowledgement, leaning his elbows on his knees as he fixed his gaze on a honey bee hovering around a flower.

"Akaashi went hunting earlier with Suga, he wanted to get out of the tavern and clear his head...and Suga wanted to ask him about what happened in the marsh. Y'know, in regards to his powers and that." Daichi kept his voice quiet, calm and composed even if he was trembling slightly. "They talked about how Akaashi felt out of control during the marsh incident, and then he asked about you."

Kuroo stiffened momentarily before glancing over his shoulder at Daichi. "...and?"

There was a pause, Daichi didn't want to say it. "Akaashi...Akaashi said he heard a lot of things whilst reading your thoughts to soothe them. He said that hearing the phrase 'back-stabbing little shit' confused him until he started thinking, thinking about recent events and how you've been acting, some of the bits of your past we know of..."

Kuroo didn't say anything, merely waiting for Daichi to continue, peering through his fringe with almost fearful eyes. Daichi took a heavy breath before figuring it would be easier to rip the bandage off the open wound than prolong the suffering to them both.

"He said he thinks you used to be part of the Blue Serpents." Daichi waited for a reaction, for a disbelieving rant about 'how could they think that?' or anything remotely similar to an outburst that he was used to from Kuroo.

Instead, there was silence.

Kuroo clenched his hands into fists, turning his gaze away and letting out a heavy sigh.

"I guess I left myself too open to him."

"Suga's only acting on concern for the group, he's scared you're still part of them." Daichi continued, reading between the lines of what Kuroo said and drawing his own conclusion.

"I'm not." Kuroo uttered. "I burned that bridge a long time ago."

"...you're not--"

"I'm not mad at Sugawara, or you for what you ordered back there." Kuroo's voice sounded off, like he was choking back a sob. "But yes, I was part of them for a time."

"What happened? Why are they trying to kill you now? I know we have a history, that we've gotten in their way before but clearly there's something more to it."

Kuroo shook his head. "I'm sorry Daichi, I can't...I'm not ready to tell you that story. I didn't want it to come out this way, I tried to shut the thoughts away when Keiji...but I was so _tired_ of the endless hunt that he heard things he shouldn't have heard."

A weak sob left Kuroo, Daichi didn't hesitate to wrap an arm around him and pull him into a half-hug. Past Serpent or not, Kuroo was still his brother-in-arms. He was still the same Kuroo who only wanted to protect those he loved, the same Kuroo that argued tooth and nail that they shouldn't go after a talking dragon for the safety of the others, the same Kuroo that willingly killed to earn enough gold to feed them all when Suga's hunting trips were unsuccessful.

"It's okay." Daichi whispered. "I believe you Tetsurou."

"Thank-you Daichi."

"And Akaashi only told Suga because he needed to get it out of his system. And you know what he said?"

Kuroo hiccupped loudly "What?"

"He said ' _I want to help him get over it_ '. He doesn't want you to bottle it up, to carry the burden alone, he wants to help you through it."

The statement just seemed to make Kuroo sob harder, turning and latching onto Daichi so he could bury his face in the other's shoulder.

"He's not the only one y'know. I don't want you feeling held back by whatever happened, and I'm sure Bokuto would agree. Suga's just acting panicked but I know he feels the same."

Daichi felt Kuroo nod in understanding. He decided to stop talking needlessly and simply held the other.

 

* * *

 

 

They hadn't wasted any time in leaving the tavern. As soon as Daichi went after Kuroo, Tanaka jumped to prepare to investigate this clearing. The five of them plus Kunimi and Kindaichi quickly grabbed the necessary weapons they'd need for self-defence and immediately headed off. Kenma knew the overlook was to the east of the village and he didn't want to lead them back into the village for fear of causing a stir. He directed Kunimi and Kindaichi to the west, advising them to be careful around the cliff edges that bordered the cove, before leading the rest of the party eastward.

Yaku had recovered from his experience in the marshland, he didn't remember what happened still but figured it was for the best. He hadn't been injured in any way so he counted himself lucky. Even so, he was left with a heightened sense of wariness around anything remotely rumoured to be magical. He hadn't objected to going to the clearing with the mages, but he wasn't over the moon either. Nevertheless, he followed Kenma's instruction, both him and Tanaka were only there in case something happened anyway.

"How much further?" Tanaka asked, noting Nishinoya had gone quiet.

"Not much, I can hear the ocean more clearly." Kenma replied.

"Sense anything Yuu?" Tanaka nudged the mage. Nishinoya had his right hand held out to the side, brushing fingertips over the plants that they passed through.

"...there's something." Nishinoya replied. "I can't pinpoint it."

Kenma nodded, he could hear the calling of the clearing, there was something very off about it all. Pushing back a collection of tall plants, the clearing revealed itself. The party hung on the edge, letting the silence fall and almost waiting for someone to give the go ahead.

"And now?" Tanaka whispered.

Nishinoya let his eyes close. "Definitely something more than elemental magic. The residing energy is...is still here."

"Explain that in simple terms?" Yaku breathed.

"For something that may have happened three years ago, the fact energy from it is _still here_ says a lot." Nishinoya summarised. "It says that Moniwa was definitely onto something about this being the work of a powerful mage."

Akaashi stepped forward, reaching the edge of the circle in a matter of paces. He counted five smaller circles drawn into the outline, one of which had scorched grass within it indicating something had been burnt there recently. So far no-one had stepped _inside_ the larger circle, not quite knowing what effect it might have.

He glanced over his shoulder at the rest of the party, a wordless warning before he took a cautious step inside the curved line. There was no obvious reaction to him breaking the psychological barrier so he continued moving towards the centre. He felt the eyes of the others on him, no-one daring to break the silence as he braced for anything to happen.

As he got to the centre of the circle, his chest tightened. He froze, a slight pang of pain erupted in his forehead forcing him to close his eyes to try and ease it. It came to him just like in the marshes.

_Stormy sea, there's the crashing of thunder overhead. People are screaming, crying. A familiar face, 'you have to do this'. Do what? Rope around wrists, can't escape. The smell of burning. Something's burning._

Akaashi let out a gasp as he opened his eyes and reoriented himself.

"What did you see?" Kenma asked.

Akaashi shook his head. "I'm...I'm not sure." He let out a heavy sigh before closing his eyes again.

 _Fire, lit torches surrounding the circle. The sound of the crashing waves is distant but still there. Thunder rumbles and lightning flashes in the sky. A hooded man extends his hands towards the sky. A bright yellow flash. Pain_.

Akaashi regained consciousness, he was still in the circle though Yaku and Tanaka were now at the edge calling for him. He blinked a few times as he sat up, the images burned into his mind.

"Are you okay?" Tanaka asked, offering his hand as Akaashi stumbled over to them. He grabbed onto the sellsword's arm for support as his legs trembled. No-one asked anything else as Akaashi then let go of Tanaka and collapsed onto his knees, doubling over and vomiting into the grass.

"What did you see?" Kenma asked once the other seemed to regain control of himself.

"I think I saw the ritual Kiyoko was put through." Akaashi replied, breath ragged as he flicked through the images. "She was right on quite a few accounts; it was a stormy night, there was something happening in the village, people were screaming."

Kenma thought back to what the little girl had told Hinata. Things were starting to match up. "Any idea who conducted it?"

"Some old guy, he was wearing a hood so I didn't catch much of his face. I got the feeling Kiyoko knew him, that she would do anything he asked."

"A grandfather figure?" Tanaka asked. "Or..."

"Or a village elder." Nishinoya said. "I think it's time we summoned Kiyoko here."

Yaku snorted. "Are you sure that's a wise idea? given that Akaashi just had a violent experience re-living it, do you _really_ think bringing Kiyoko here will help?"

Nishinoya ran his hands through his hair and sighed. "At this point, what other choice do we have? Do you suggest we rely on Akaashi's visions for everything? Force him to go through it again and again until we have answers?"

"I vote no on that last part." Akaashi mumbled. "I already can't really think straight."

Kenma somewhat wished he had asked Daichi to come with them. He could see both sides of the argument for bringing Kiyoko to the clearing; she could remember things more clearly than Akaashi, put things in better perspective, explain some of what's been seen. However, she could also have a negative reaction to it.

"If we bring her here, we need to be prepared for the worst." Kenma waded into the debate that had continued whilst he mulled things over. "Tanaka, take up a sentry post on the other side of the clearing. Yaku, take the left side, I'll remain here. Akaashi can you take the right? It's the side that has least chance of risk."

Akaashi nodded, having gotten to his feet and calmed himself slightly. Nishinoya understood what Kenma was doing and remained by the circle, ready to send out the summoning call.

"Understand that she may react poorly to the area, if she does remember some troubling things then we may have to subdue her. Do you understand what I mean Nishinoya?"

"I can imprison her don't worry." Nishinoya uttered. "I don't _want_ to, but I can."

Once everyone was in position, Kenma nodded to the mage. Nishinoya took a deep breath, he brought his fingers to his lips, let out a long, high-pitched whistle and waited. The wind rustled the leaves in the trees and caused the grass to ripple like water. A distant bird call sounded over the crashing of waves below them. It felt like a good few minutes passed with them all waiting in silence before the familiar sound of large leather wings caught their attention. Kiyoko circled overhead briefly before coming to land on the other side of the circle from Nishinoya, tail swishing violently like that of an irritated cat and a low rumble emanating from her chest.

"So, we think this is where--" Nishinoya began.

Kiyoko cut in; "I know." Her voice lower than normal, tail still swishing in the grass like a serpent all in itself. "This is where he turned me."

Nishinoya swallowed. "Uh yeah, well Akaashi thinks he saw flashes of the ritual...and we were wondering if you would remember anything else now you're back here."

Her gaze drew to the carved line in the ground in front of her, setting one of her taloned feet onto it. Slowly, she paced around the outside of the circle, not stepping inside at first. Nishinoya allowed her to think without being bombarded with questions. She stepped inside. Once at the centre, the same spot Akaashi had reached, she froze.

Kenma met Yaku's gaze, the other drew his blades on instinct.

"...no." Kiyoko muttered. "No there's got to be...you can't do this to me!"

Akaashi sensed she was seeing flashes of what he saw, except she had some context to add to it. He watched as she tossed her head side to side, tail whipping through the grass dangerously.

"This won't save them, we have to fight honourably!" She growled. "You can't--no!"

A loud roar erupted from her, startling Nishinoya and prompting both Tanaka and Akaashi to draw their weapons. Kenma remained still, watching Nishinoya's hands begin sparking.

"Wait." He called over the din, the wind having picked up almost as a reaction to the events unfolding. "It may be best to let her take flight."

"What? Why?" Nishinoya shouted.

"The villagers probably heard that."

"Oh shit, you're right."

Rustling in the bushes spooked Yaku, he tore his gaze from the dragon and was prepared to pounce on whoever left the hiding spot. Kindaichi emerged with Kunimi in tow, both looking confused and then startled by the scene they walked in on; Kiyoko was still in the midst of dealing with whatever images had been granted to her, clearly in distress as her actions resembled a spooked horse.

"No time to explain, I need you two to watch out for village guards." Yaku ordered the sentries. "We'll deal with this."

Kunimi and Kindaichi didn't argue, they didn't particularly want to be around a rampaging dragon. As soon as they left, thoughts turned to how to calm Kiyoko down, Nishinoya was trying to call to her over the howling wind but it was having little effect. A thought came to Kenma, he jogged over to Akaashi rather than trying to shout to him and explained his hastily scrapped together plan. At first Akaashi refused, stating he was exhausted but Kenma was at a loss otherwise.

"Fine, but I can't guarantee this'll work." Akaashi hissed over the wind, securing his whip-blade again and looking for a path to Kiyoko that wouldn't end up with him getting struck by her wing or tail.

"It's worth a shot." Kenma replied.

Nishinoya was too busy trying to call to Kiyoko to notice Akaashi precariously sneaking around Kiyoko's wing and taking a running jump to climb onto her back. The other had to fight tooth and nail to stay seated as she continued to thrash about, he had never tried to enter another's thoughts whilst they were this agitated.

 _'It's okay Kiyoko.'_ He imprinted in her mind, keeping his voice calm despite the fear and anxiety rising in him. _'Let me help.'_

Her thoughts were a muddied mess, fragmented was the first word that came to mind when trying to explain it. It was clear that the transmutation had messed with her memories, brief flashes of the past were easy to spot but less so to understand and thread together. However there were a few that were more vivid than the rest, more clear and together;

_'I remember the pain. The smell of burning flesh. The way my bones snapped inside me to accept this new form. I remember it all._

Akaashi focused on trying to bring a sense of calm to her, not easy to do when he had to tense his thighs to stop himself falling to the ground. He didn't see anything new in her memories, but he felt the fear and pain she still harboured in her being. He focused on reminding her they were going to help, that they were going to solve this and rid her of the pain.

_'You're going to make it through this. We're going to reverse it Kiyoko and we will make whoever did this to you pay. But you need to calm down.'_

He placed his hand on the side of her neck, rubbing soothing circles like he would do with the horses. It seemed to bring her back to her senses a little, enough to continue repeating the comforting words. It felt like an eternity before she settled. Akaashi let out an exhausted sigh when she stilled and Nishinoya stepped forward to continue calming her down. Kenma nodded in approval as Akaashi flopped onto the grass, completely worn out both physically and mentally.

"I'm going with her." Nishinoya announced. "I want to make sure she's okay after all that, tell Daichi I'll be back at sundown."

"Got it." Tanaka replied, walking over to help Akaashi back to his feet so they could get out of there quickly.

Not wanting to risk getting spotted, Nishinoya immediately climbed onto Kiyoko's back, the powerful wings flapped several times before she sprang up with her back legs, taking flight clumsily but quickly.

Kenma sighed heavily. "Right, let's go before--"

Kunimi barrelled through the bushes. "Village guards." He panted. "Kindaichi's leading them away but we don't have long."

"I'm getting _really_ tired of running away from people." Yaku muttered.


	24. Promises

Chapter Twenty-Four

Promises

  
Suga and Bokuto were understandably alarmed when Tanaka carried Akaashi into the tavern. The mage was exhausted beyond anything he had experienced before. Bokuto was eager to take him and quickly whisked him off to one of the upper floor rooms whilst everyone else answered to Suga. Daichi and Kuroo were still in the forest, so the hunter found himself having to stop Yaku and Tanaka trying to talk over one another.

Hinata had been asleep for most of the afternoon, waking up to the sound of the door opening and Bokuto carrying Akaashi into the room and setting him on one of the beds. He sat up and yawned, confused at the other's exhaustion until he remembered Daichi's orders to reinvestigate the clearing.

"Hey, are you still with us?" Bokuto asked Akaashi quietly, trying to lighten the mood. Akaashi let out a weak breathy laugh and nodded.

"It's nothing major Kou." He replied. "I just went through a lot."

"You wanna tell us? Or you wanna sleep?"

Akaashi glanced over to Hinata's curious gaze, beckoning the younger male over so he wouldn't have to raise his voice too much. "We may have finally confirmed who performed the ritual."

"Oh?" Bokuto's joking attitude faded slightly. "Who?"

"The elder."

"The guy that sussed out Hinata was a mage just by looking at him?"

Akaashi nodded. "I think Kenma and Nishinoya have a hunch, I'm not sure myself."

Hinata swallowed. "So now what's going to happen?"

Bokuto huffed. "I guess Daichi will come up with a plan, depends what this hunch Kenma has is. I don't like the idea of having to talk to that elder, he's a lunatic, strangely defensive of anything to do with why bandits don't attack the village now."

Akaashi tensed, remembering one of the flashes. "...uh...I might have an idea."

"What?"

"Kiyoko experienced the same flashes I did and then said; _'This won't save them, we have to fight honourably'_. When you mentioned the bandits I thought that maybe, maybe they witnessed something and now don't dare to approach the village anymore."

Bokuto paced the room for a few moments in thought. "Wait, are you telling me the entire reason she got turned into a god damn dragon is to ward off some bandits?!"

Hinata looked between Akaashi and Bokuto, waiting for Akaashi to reply.

"It's possible."

"Kenma needs to hear that." Bokuto stated, turning to Hinata. "Go downstairs and tell them."

Hinata wasn't about to say 'no'. He scrambled off the bed and out of the room. Akaashi sighed and felt his eyes becoming heavy, Bokuto's gentle hand on his forehead felt warm, comforting.

"Get some rest you, Kuroo will be back soon."

"Kou,"

"Hm?"

"Stay with me please? I don't...after everything I saw--"

Bokuto sat on the edge of the bed, wooden frame creaking slightly. "Say no more, I'll stay with you Keiji."

"Thank-you." Akaashi whispered, finally giving up the losing battle with exhaustion.

 

 

* * *

 

 

There was a stunned silence when Hinata finished delivering the message to the guild-brothers. Yaku immediately rolled his eyes and let out a long sigh. "Of fucking course."

"And y'all wonder why I hate mages." Kunimi uttered. "They just _have_ to find the stupidest ways to solve mundane problems."

Suga called for calm before any more remarks were made. He then turned to Kenma for some kind of clarification. "Is it a possible motive?"

The alchemist had retrieved all the notes he had taken during their time with Moniwa, every possible theory, ritual, reasoning and even ingredients for poultices was carefully inked onto rolls of parchment that littered the heavy table. By this time, the tavern staff had given them free reign of the far corner but politely asked they _stayed_ there so not to disturb the patrons, though it didn't spare them from the suspicious glances.

"Given how the elder supposedly reacted to Kuroo questioning how they keep bandits away now, I think it's a good bet." Kenma stated. "My only issue with it is how they found out about Kiyoko. We know she was turned, yes, but we don't know the immediate events after that. Did she kill the bandits? Did she lose control and rampage through the village? Did she flee afterwards?"

"And how the hell did one guy conduct that ritual?" Tanaka interrupted. "Even Yuu would struggle and he's one of the more powerful mages I know."

Kenma stared vacantly ahead of him, he remembered having one conversation with Moniwa that yielded a scenario that made him sick to his stomach.

"It's become increasingly hard to ignore the signs," He sighed, confusing everyone present with his wording "but I might have to accept that Moniwa was right."

"About..." Suga trailed off. "about what?"

"When Nishinoya flipped out at you and Daichi saying you'd have to consider helping Kiyoko and you took him outside, I asked Moniwa a simple question. A question that I had to ask, but didn't want the answer I was given." Kenma glanced down at his notes briefly before glancing up and meeting Suga's gaze. "I believe that the elder, the one who conducted this ritual, is an aura mage."

"And what the flying fuck is an aura mage?" Kindaichi asked, getting almost as sick as Kunimi was with all this mage nonsense.

"An aura mage is a rare class, there aren't many of them known to exist because they hide away from most of the common folk. They can master more than just the three elements, there are rumours they can bend time and space as we know it. I do not believe the elder is a particularly powerful one in the sense that he does that, but more he hones his senses to the world around him."

"Which would explain how he knew Hinata was a mage?" Suga offered.

"Yes. That was the final piece for me, but I wanted to see what the circle yielded before casting this suggestion out there."

"Hold up," Kunimi stepped forward, sick of just sitting on the sidelines. "if this guy was _really_ as powerful as you claim, why the fuck didn't he just blast the bandits out to sea? Why go to all the hassle of turning a girl into a dragon?"

"He has a point." Yaku dryly added.

Kenma shrugged. "I never said that was the sole reason he turned her, Akaashi just had that hunch. It's merely another piece of the puzzle."

"I'm beginning to hate puzzles as much as I hate you mages." Kunimi muttered.

"And we hate people like you forever lumping us together as lunatics." Kenma fired back. "I'm beginning to get tired of your whining."

"Well at least I--"

"Enough." Suga snapped. "Arguing now isn't going to help us."

"Then what do we do?" Yaku asked.

Suga glanced around the group, he was at a bit of a loss. His guild-brothers met his gaze expecting guidance, comfort, anything that would ease the tensions. He wasn't used to being solely in charge, he was used to being the one behind the voice of command, the comforting force to one or two brothers, not all of them at once. He sighed, thinking of a course of action that would both bring calm to the situation and satisfy the more stubborn brothers.

"We take a breath, and take some time to think this through." Suga eventually told him.

Kunimi snorted. "You're having a--"

"No I'm not Akira." Suga interrupted, getting a little irritated by Kunimi's attitude. "Think of it this way; when you're tracking a bear through the forest you look for its tracks, the signs of how big it is, whether it's alone or with cubs. You consider every scrap of information presented to you." He started pacing the small space, noting most of the brothers hanging on his every word now. "When you decide you want to kill the bear, you don't just run straight for it, do you? No. That's a death wish. What you do is prepare your weapon, you consider your surroundings and see if you can get the upper hand."

"And then, when you've planned every detail you can, you close in and take the kill." Tanaka finished.

"Precisely." Suga smiled, relieved that his thought process hadn't confused anyone. "So you see Akira, it's in our best interest to take our time and consider all our options before we go in for this kill."

"...but still, they know something's going on now." Kunimi replied. "As soon as we go back they'll be on to us."

"Yes, well that's why we're not going back until we have a solid plan." Suga said calmly. "To start, Kenma how do you think we should go about reversing it? Moniwa said there were two different ways, correct?"

"We either create our own incantation and ritual, or we find out how the original was done." The alchemist shuffled his rolls of parchment around and found the one he was looking for. "Either way, I'll need a lot of herbs, so I guess that could be a good task for us to accomplish before a plan is made."

"What herbs?" Kindaichi asked. "We saw a fair few during our scouting."

"Hemlock, mistletoe and sage." Kenma read out. "A lot of each."

"Well we can do that easily enough, can't we Akira?" Kindaichi nudged the disgruntled sentry.

"Pft, yeah sure."

"No-one's going anywhere today." Yaku sighed. "It's getting dark and I'm pretty sure we're all exhausted."

Suga nodded in both understanding and approval, he didn't really want the brothers running around in the forest so late. He motioned in dismissal to the group, letting out another sigh as Tanaka immediately asked if anyone was up for a game of cards. With the setting sun casting orange rays through the windows of the tavern, he started wondering what was keeping Daichi and Kuroo. He tried to shake off his paranoia that Kuroo had reacted poorly to the way he spoke to him, figuring that they were just having a long discussion about recent events.

"Suga?" Hinata's' voice shattered his thoughts.

"Hm? Yes Hinata?"

The mage glanced around the tavern, most notably at the brothers now embroiled in a game of cards with Tanaka. Suga raised an eyebrow in curiosity before the loud rumble from Hinata's stomach clued him into what the other wanted.

"When are we eating? It's just that with all that happened today I'm...I'm starving."

Suga smiled, reaching out and ruffling Hinata's hair slightly. "Soon, give Daichi and Kuroo a chance to get back, and Nishinoya should be back soon. Plus we should probably see if Akaashi and Bokuto want to eat."

Hinata's face fell a little, prompting Suga to laugh a little. "But I’m sure we can ask the tavern-maid to give you a snack for now, come on."

 

* * *

 

 

The two guild leaders had watched the sun slowly begin sinking in the sky from within the forest, there was no rush to return to the tavern after all. Once Kuroo had stopped sobbing the conversation shifted to the current plight they were facing, Daichi talked through his current plan with his brother-in-arms, not letting the new revelation effect anything. Kuroo was more than thankful that Daichi had his priorities in order.

They heard the loud flapping of wings and a thud, both about to brush it off before they heard Nishinoya's slightly panicked voice. Daichi immediately stood up and gestured for Kuroo to follow him towards the clearing they knew Kiyoko resided.

"Noya?"

The mage seemed at a loss as Kiyoko paced the area, Kuroo sensed that something hadn't gone to plan and felt himself being tugged back to the tavern. However, he remained at Daichi's side to listen to Nishinoya babble out the entire chain of events; the odd feeling in the clearing, Akaashi's description of the ritual, how Kiyoko reacted and how Akaashi had to dive into her thoughts to try and calm her down. Nishinoya seemed relatively calm even if he had just witnessed a traumatic ordeal, Daichi could tell he was anything but that as Nishinoya gestured wildly to the air throughout his tale and kept glancing at Kiyoko for reassurance.

"So, you're telling me that they now know we're here?" Daichi asked. "As in, we're not traders and we have a dragon?"

Nishinoya shrugged. "I don't know what they know, Kunimi wasn't very clear when he said they were approaching."

Kuroo huffed, running a hand through his hair as he tried to process how quickly things had escalated. They were now feeling the heat from both sides; the Serpents and now the villagers. If the elder was anything to go by, they wouldn't wait too long to try and flush them out and put an end to this. If he heard about Kiyoko's existence and _did_ know exactly how she got turned into a dragon, who was to say that he wouldn't try and silence them?

"Daichi, we should get back and figure out what to do. Time isn't necessarily a luxury we have."

Daichi nodded. "I agree. I don't like the sound of this, and I don't know how kindly the tavern-maids will look on us starting a fight in their tavern."

The brisk walk back to the tavern gave Kuroo a few precious moments to think, he was torn on what his priority should be; helping Daichi with a plan or immediately going to Akaashi's side. As much as his heart was tugging him to bolt upstairs to where the other was, he had been falling behind in his leadership duties. Suga was suspicious of him still having ties to his past, the guild was in a state of confusion and Daichi needed his support.

"Okay." Daichi's commanding voice attracted the attention of everyone currently in the tavern, Bokuto and Akaashi were notably absent. "So I heard that some shit went down, anyone want to explain?"

Nishinoya had followed them back but looked to Kenma and Yaku to fill in the blanks as he sat next to Tanaka and slumped forward onto the table. A gentle hand rested on his shoulder, squeezing in reassurance as the alchemist and assassin took it in turns to explain again. The guild was quiet the entire time, no-one interrupting as Kenma finished summarising the events.

The two guild leaders exchanged a glance. Daichi considered the options; make a new incantation or pay the elder a visit. Whilst he always sought to solve things peacefully, there was something sinister about changing a loyal swords-woman into a dragon without her consent, even if it was for the sake of the village. And they were assassins after all.

"Here's the plan then," he broke his gaze with Kuroo as the other seemed to be on the same page "Kuroo, Suga and I will go and pay this elder a visit. The rest of you will do whatever Kenma needs you to do in order to perform the reverse transmutation."

"Time is critical here." Kuroo added. "Once we get the incantation, we may only have a small window to perform the ritual before the rest of the village hears about our...doings."

"Are you gonna slit the guy's throat?" Tanaka asked, no trace of humour in his voice. "Cause what he did to her--"

"We'll get the information." Suga shot Daichi a look that said he wasn't exactly happy about this plan but would go along all the same. "Whether he ends up dead depends on his cooperation."

"Which is why we can't waste time." Kuroo continued. "If the rest of the village gets wind that we murdered their elder then things will get bloody. Not to mention that we'd be looking to meddle in their local legend that Kiyoko's 'spirit' protects them from bandits."

A heavy silence fell on the guild. Kuroo's words still hadn't answered the question of whether they'd be slaughtering the village.

"But, what if we manage not to alert them?" Hinata asked, he had quickly established that he wasn't supposed to argue against the guild leaders but this wasn't exactly a normal situation for any of them. "We wouldn't have to kill anyone, right?"

"No, no we wouldn't." Daichi replied, smiling slightly. "Which is why we're going to do everything possible to _not_ alert them."

"Wild guess," Kindaichi said "we're doing this tomorrow night?"

Daichi nodded. "Yes. That means you have tomorrow's daylight hours to gather the herbs and get up to the clearing. Follow Kenma's instructions, those of you who can fight will be on guard. Do not shed blood unnecessarily. Mages of the group will assist Kenma in preparing the circle, Nishinoya you'll be responsible for calling Kiyoko."

"Can I suggest something?" Nishinoya murmured, a far cry from his usually over-confident self. "Ryuu can call her. I want to spend tomorrow with her, preparing her for this...ordeal."

Daichi looked to Kenma. "Do you need him for the setup?"

"No. However I will need Hinata and Akaashi."

"How is Keiji?" Kuroo asked, unable to help himself.

Suga nodded towards the staircase. "Go and check on him yourself, he probably needs you more than anything."

Kuroo didn't miss the slight smile on the hunter's face. Clearly the fact that Daichi hadn't cast him out into the wilderness was enough to ease Suga's fears and suspicions for now. He nodded and tried not to outright sprint to the stairs, he had no doubts in his mind that Bokuto was taking care of Akaashi but after the conversation with Daichi, he wanted to set the record straight with the other.

He cracked the door open slightly, slowly pushing it open until he saw Bokuto sat on the edge of the bed. The other glanced up and brought a finger to his lips to signal that Akaashi was asleep. Kuroo nodded as he slipped into the room and closed the door behind him. Akaashi was fast asleep, face a little paler than usual, there were traces of mud smeared over this jawline and over his hands, his hair was messed up but none of it seemed to matter to him as he slept.

"I take it you heard what happened?" Bokuto whispered, his hand had been claimed by Akaashi as he drifted to sleep and he hadn't had the heart to tear it away.

"Mostly, I knew I should've gone with him." Kuroo whispered back.

Bokuto shook his head. "He was adamant about going into the centre of the circle apparently. None of them knew what would happen but he wanted to try and get to the bottom of this...whatever it is."

"Still," Kuroo shrugged "I should've been there."

Bokuto waited for Kuroo to meet his gaze before speaking again. "He's fine Tetsu. He's just tired."

Kuroo shook his head, sighing heavily. "There's...there's more to it than just fatigue."

He didn't really want to tell Bokuto what had really happened, but if he didn't then it would surely just delay the inevitable fallout when the rest of the guild heard. Sooner or later Kuroo would have to confront what happened, and he didn't want to do it alone anymore.

"Did something happen? You two were up here for a while when we first got here." Bokuto kept his voice quiet but there was a slight edge to it, concern mostly.

"He was soothing my thoughts." Kuroo sat on the next bed over from Akaashi's, knowing this was going to take a while to iron out with Bokuto. "He heard some stuff I didn't really want him to hear. Pre-guild stuff."

"Right..."

"And he told Sugawara about it, about how he..." Kuroo trailed off, his throat was dry as he contemplated how to word it without causing panic. "He had connected some of the dots recently, how I was acting, how the Serpents called me out by name, how...how they're still hunting me."

Bokuto shifted on the bed, trying not to wake Akaashi but also leaning forward enough to put his free hand on Kuroo's shoulder. "Bro, whatever it is, I'm not gonna be mad okay? Just tell me."

Tears began welling up in Kuroo's eyes. He nodded as he swallowed, blinking the tears away. "Well Keiji, Keiji told Sugawara that he thinks I was...I was a Blue Serpent."

The hand on Kuroo's shoulder didn't move.

"And he, he's right. I was one of them." Kuroo's voice broke off, he buried his face in his hands. "I fucked up and now they want to kill me."

He heard Bokuto shift on the bed before the two soft thuds of knees hitting the floor. Another hand came up to rest on his other shoulder, fingers squeezing before he was pulled into a tight hug.

"That's why Sugawara forbid me to go with him. He-He thinks that I can't be trusted." Kuroo stammered as Bokuto's hands splayed on his back.

"I'm sure he doesn't think that, he's just paranoid." Bokuto replied. "I don't blame him."

"I don't either."

"And I don't blame you for not telling us."

Kuroo's breath hitched as he processed what Bokuto had just said. "You don't?"

The other pulled back and raised an eyebrow in doubt. "No? I mean, they ain't exactly the most forgiving company to be part of...we've all heard about the shitty things they do for coin. If you had come out and told us you used to be part of that, I can't imagine what Kunimi and Yaku would've said."

Kuroo nodded, wiping at his misty eyes before the tears could fall. "Y-Yeah, but I didn't want Keiji to find out like _that_. I wanted to tell him in person, in a calm..." he waved to the air. "Doesn't matter, he probably hates me for it...he'll probably refuse to talk to me."

Bokuto lightly slapped the back of Kuroo's head. "Don't be an idiot."

Kuroo laughed weakly as he caught Bokuto's gaze, a small smile on his face. "How is he anyway?"

Bokuto glanced over his shoulder. "He wanted me to stay with him in case of night terrors, knowing that you were out. But now you're here, I think I should go and find out what all the yelling was about downstairs."

Before Kuroo could argue that it wasn't a good idea, Bokuto quickly got to his feet and strode out of the room, ruffling Kuroo's hair as he did so. Akaashi showed no sign of waking up as Kuroo sat in the same spot Bokuto had. He also showed no sign of being plagued by night terrors, which Kuroo took as a blessing.

Kuroo was still fearful of what Akaashi was going to say upon waking, Bokuto seemed to think nothing would change between them, but Kuroo wasn't convinced. The fact he opened up to Suga before Kuroo said a lot in Kuroo's mind. It said that Akaashi was scared to bring it up, scared to mention it, scared that he was right. A heavy sigh left Kuroo as he tentatively reached out and took Akaashi's hand in his, resigning himself to the fact that once again his past was screwing things up for him.

He was lost in his thoughts when he felt a light squeeze around his hand. Akaashi stirred slowly, eyes fluttering open before a small smile graced his face. Kuroo mirrored the smile, returning the hand squeeze.

"Hey," Kuroo murmured "you done scaring me half to death with these visions of yours?"

Akaashi snorted, flinging his other arm over his eyes as he yawned. "It was under control...mostly."

Kuroo shook his head, shuffling a little closer. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, and you?" The arm still covering his eyes lifted up slightly, enough for Akaashi's gaze to meet Kuroo's.

It was almost like Akaashi knew that Kuroo wanted to tell him, or maybe that Akaashi was giving him the opportunity to do so. Kuroo was reminded what drew him to the other so much in the first place; the uncanny ability to notice things but also cut out the bullshit and head straight to the point. It was what made Akaashi so good at interrogating people for information, what had captivated Kuroo's attention.

"...uhm..." Kuroo averted his gaze for a split second. "Well now you...uh."

"Is this about what I told Suga?"

Kuroo met his gaze in a flash.

"You thought I was asleep, didn't you?"

Kuroo wanted the ground to swallow him up. "Uh, well you looked like you were."

Akaashi smiled. "I heard most of what you and Koutarou discussed, I apologise for deceiving you both."

"...you're not mad at me for--"

Akaashi sat up abruptly, taking Kuroo by surprise as he tugged the other a little closer by the hand. Kuroo blinked in disbelief, this was the exact opposite of what he expected.

"Am I mad at you for trying to move on from whatever happened? No. Am I mad that you kept it from us all? A little, but I understand Tetsurou. We all have things that we don't want to remember, we have regrets and memories we'd rather forget. You were under no obligation to tell us everything anyway."

Kuroo shook his head. "But this has put everyone in danger, doesn't that change anything?"

"A little, sure." Akaashi's smile faded, a more serious expression taking its place. "But what you're forgetting Kuroo is that we kill for a living, we're always in danger. All you've done is made us pause to think how much we know about you. Suga acted on instinct, Daichi acted more on what he knew, I...I chose not to act directly."

"...I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry for not confronting you first." Akaashi pressed his forehead to Kuroo's. "I caused most of this chaos by not speaking to you--"

"No Keiji _I_ caused it by not being upfront with you. I-I knew what you had heard and chose not to say anything."

There was a pause. Kuroo wasn't sure how to ease the tension until Akaashi brought his hand up to cup his face. For a moment he chose not to act, letting the silence continue before he tilted his head slightly. Akaashi caught on and met him halfway, lips soft against his. It was a moment of peace in the hectic times they were living in.

"Aren't you going to ask me to tell you what happened?" Kuroo whispered.

Akaashi shook his head. "I know you'll tell me when the time is right, when you're ready to share it."

The weight that had been on Kuroo's shoulders lifted. He still felt like he _needed_ to tell Akaashi, but it was neither the time nor the place. The sun had set and if they were to follow Daichi's plan the next day, there was a lot of work to be done.

"I'll tell you when all this chaos is over, I promise Keiji."

"You don't need to promise Tetsurou, but thank-you." Akaashi smiled.

 


	25. The Asking Price

Chapter Twenty-Five

The Asking Price

  
It had been a while since they did an interrogation. Whilst it was easy to imagine Kuroo as a violent person, Daichi too within reason, most of the guild-brothers had yet to see Suga in the same light. Which is what made it all the more surprising that Suga had not only agreed to go along with it, but seemed more than okay with the idea of killing the elder if he didn't cooperate.

A hush fell over the guild as Kuroo and Daichi appeared wearing black pants and leather jackets, weapons tucked away but still within reach, their hoods were currently down but each had a thin piece of fabric over their nose and jawline. Enough to mask their identity but not to hinder communication.

"Wow, so uh, you're really going all out." Bokuto remarked, watching Daichi secure the straps of his jacket in place with small bronze buckles.

"You bet." Kuroo replied, voice barely muffled. "Just waiting on Sugawara."

"Still can't believe he's going, like sure he's a hunter but he's usually all 'let's solve this without violence'." Tanaka chuckled, dealing another round of cards for the brothers still present. With Kunimi and Kindaichi still gathering herbs for Kenma, the rest of them had little to do for the time being.

"Suga just wants everything to go back to normal." Daichi replied, pulling out his rapier and examining the blade for any kinks in the metal. Despite it being a stealth mission, he wasn't going to change his weapon of choice, Suga on the other hand was ditching the bow for this job.

The hunter descended the stairs almost silently, the clinking of unfastened boots gave away his presence as he padded up behind the guild leaders. Much like Kuroo and Daichi, he had a thin scarf covering most of his face, brown eyes standing out beside the small amount of pale skin being revealed, the small beauty mark beside his eye all the more noticeable. He tightened the thin pieces of lacing keeping his leather chest piece together before moving to fasten his boots.

"That's not your usual hunting gear, is it?" Yaku asked.

"No. This is...new." Suga replied, straightening up and patting the sheaths either side of his waist, the hilts of two daggers shifted a little before his gloved fingers closed around them and unsheathed them. "As are these."

The two blades were simple in design at first glance as the steel caught the light, but closer inspection revealed runes carved into them both. Tanaka and Yaku raised an eyebrow as Bokuto chuckled.

"Enchanted?" The blacksmith remarked.

"Yep. Enchanted to leave a scar." Suga sheathed the daggers and pulled his hood up, prompting Daichi and Kuroo to do the same. "Ready when you two are."

Daichi nodded, immediately starting towards the door of the tavern to fetch the horses, Suga followed without another word. Kuroo lingered for a few moments, ruffling Hinata's hair and nodding to both Bokuto and Akaashi.

"We'll see you tonight, stay safe and don't leave each other behind."

"Understood." Bokuto grinned, showing Kuroo a thumb's up in reassurance. "Go get the bastard."

He found Daichi and Suga already on horseback when he left the tavern. He accepted Yuki's reigns and once mounted, took the lead towards the trail. Admittedly the three of them looked a little suspicious in their getup but when if it came to escaping in the dead of night; it would prove beneficial to be able to blend in with the shadows. The journey was quiet, the forest beside them yielding little in terms of noise, the not-so-distant ocean was most of what they could hear. Each of the horses seemed calm, giving Kuroo a little peace of mind as they got closer to the village.

Kuroo halted Yuki, waiting for Daichi and Suga to ride up beside him before explaining. "So the village is over the hill ahead. Once we go over it, we'll be easy to spot. However, we could drop down from the cliffs to the west,"

"Coming from the north?" Suga clarified, trying to orientate himself.

"Yes, the cliffs are technically north of the village, but west of our position," Kuroo replied. "We'd have to abandon the horses at the top and drop down but it'll be sneakier than waltzing through the village."

"Especially given that the others may have already tipped them off to our presence, and of course your conversation with the elder already..." Daichi sighed.

"Sorry about that." Kuroo huffed. "He was a--"

"Lunatic. Yes." Suga chipped in. "I vote for the cliffs. If nothing else, it gives us the jump on them."

Daichi nodded. "Agreed. Didn't you say he has a bodyguard?"

"Burly bastard. Bigger than Bokuto." Kuroo scoffed, prompting Yuki to start moving again. "We'll handle him."

They continued along the trail, not saying another word to each other as the foliage grew more sparse around them. Kuroo signalled that they had reached the point to dismount. Once all three horses were deemed safe enough on the overlook, they took a moment to consider their options.

"Can you see those trees over there?" Kuroo pointed across the cove that the village sat into a cluster of trees. "That's where the clearing is. So when we're done, we need to hightail it around the cove and into those trees."

"Can we even get back up _here_ afterwards?" Suga asked, crouching down as he reached the edge of the cliff, peering over at the sheer rock face beneath them. "I don't see a ladder."

Daichi paced over towards the sea, with a bit of effort they could climb down without being seen. They'd get a little damp sure, but the alternative was landing on the roof of the elder's house and that was only going to end in trouble. He gestured to both of them before slipping over the edge, whilst it had been a while since they did any break-ins of the non-violent nature, they were all confident enough in their ability to scale down a cliff. Suga was the first to make it down, barely getting a scratch from any of the pointy rocks, he immediately ducked into the long grass for cover until Kuroo and Daichi joined him.

The back of the elder's house had one window, easy to break with a direct kick but too sudden. Kuroo nodded to follow the grass around the side, the loud crashing of waves against the beach covered most of their noises but they weren't making rookie mistakes here.

"So, we can either take the guard out entirely or drag him in with us." Kuroo breathed. "Either way, we have to deal with him _first_."

"Drag." Suga stated. "Taking him out will draw attention."

"But if he squeals--"

Daichi cleared his throat. "Suga, you open the door, Kuroo and I will tackle him _into_ the building and then you slam it shut."

"And how do I get in there in the first place?"

"Through the hole in the roof." Daichi gestured to the smoke steadily rising from the roof of the house. "Given that the windows aren't open, I'm betting there's a vent shaft."

Suga rolled his eyes. "Of course you'd have me dropping through the holes in the roof, just 'cause you're too fat."

Kuroo sniggered. "He's got a point Dai."

Daichi glared at Kuroo. "Anyway, you have 'til the count of twenty to get up there and get inside."

Suga nodded, immediately springing up from the grass and latching onto the overhanging roof. Well-practiced motions meant he was silent in scrambling onto the main roof joint, keeping a low profile he crawled towards the narrow opening. It was barely big enough to drop through and the smoke was heavy as he tried to peer down to see where he could land.

A few moments ticked by, Suga figured they wouldn't be trying to be stealthy once the guard was in the building, so he kept one hand clasped around the edge of the hole and dropped down. By chance, a solid roof beam was suspended a little to the left of the opening. He settled onto it and took in the surroundings; long benches lined the room, support pillars were adorned with blue-ish green banners, a large squarish sword was mounted on the wall behind the main 'throne'. A large, bearded man sat on the seat of power, black bear pelt further testament to his power.

Suga didn't like the feel of the room, he didn't really like how heavy the air felt. He made his way along the support beam towards the closed door, hearing the subtle sound of someone moving through the bushes. He dropped down, hearing a startled noise from behind him as he unlatched the door and swung it open in time for the two guild leaders to tackle the guard into the room.

He slammed the door shut.

 

* * *

 

 

Hinata was restless. He got a sense of the scale of the task in front of them as Kenma briefed him and Akaashi on what was going to happen. With Nishinoya waiting with Kiyoko until the last moment, it fell to the rookie elemental mage to do most of the preparation with Kenma. Akaashi could assist in preparing the herbs they had on hand and helping Bokuto with everyone's weapons, but Hinata was the one who had to pay attention to what Kenma was saying.

"You're nervous." Kenma observed, he had been reading over the only notes he had on the matter of creating incantations when Hinata shifted in his seat for the fourth time in ten minutes.

"Well, yeah..." Hinata admitted, slumping forward on the table. "This is a pretty big thing to be doing...I've never been part of any ritual before."

Kenma let out a small snort of amusement. "Funnily enough, this is my first time too. Big rituals like this are rare Shoyo, don't expect this to be a common occurrence for us."

"I guess, so what do you need me to do?"

The shuffling of parchment was the only reply for a moment. Kenma found a blank piece and his quill before beginning to draw a circle. It started off as a basic outline with five smaller circles included, much like the one in the clearing. He inked symbols inside each one before drawing a line towards the center. None of the lines crossed the center point, instead they crisscrossed over one another to form a five-sided shape around the point.

"Okay, so in three of these circles, we will be burning the herbs Kunimi and Kindaichi are gathering." Kenma explained, pointing to the circle at the top and then the two down below. "You and Nishinoya will be either stood or at least placing your hands in the two remaining circles." The inked quill-tip pointed to the remaining circles, one the left and one on the right. "Kiyoko will be in the middle, hopefully inside this formation here." He pointed to the centre.

"Right...but what do I _do_?"

Kenma worried his bottom lip slightly. "You and Nishinoya will focus your energy on the circle, nothing more and nothing less. Just the circle." He continued. "I will be reading the incantation and the rest of the brothers will be watching our backs."

"Watching...our backs." Hinata repeated, meeting Kenma's serious gaze with his own more worried one. "For what?"

The alchemist was about to reply when the tavern door opened, Kunimi and Kindaichi strolled in with their packs bulging with greenery. Tanaka and Yaku followed close behind, both eager to see if anything else needed doing. After confirming that the herbs were more than enough, Kenma told everyone to rest up, calling Akaashi over from the table laden with weapons.

"Problem?" Akaashi asked, noting Hinata's still worried expression.

"Shoyo is nervous about everything. Perhaps you can ease his thoughts?"

Akaashi raised an eyebrow at Hinata, almost asking for permission without words before thinking better of it. "Hinata? Do you want me to soothe your thoughts?"

The mage looked between the two of them warily. "But aren't you still exhausted from yesterday?"

"A little, but I'm not due to be doing much during this ritual." Akaashi shrugged. "Let me, please."

Hinata nodded, shuffling over on the bench so Akaashi could sit down. The older male coaxed him to lay down with his head resting in his lap, Hinata found it a little jarring but allowed it as he felt nimble fingers trailing through his hair. The hustle and bustle of the tavern seemed to fade as Akaashi's fingers combed through his hair, gently tugging occasionally. He felt a sense of peace wash over him, there was no voice this time from the other as he did his duty. It was easy for Hinata to forget about the impending danger they faced.

 

* * *

 

 

The blade was brought to the guard's face, Kuroo's steady hand didn't waver as he held the point barely inches from the other's eyes. The young man's eyes widened in shock and then fear as Kuroo kept him pinned to the floor. Lips quivered as he tried to beg for his life, Kuroo shook his head silently in reply. Daichi was on his feet already with his rapier drawn and pointed at the elder who hadn't moved from his throne. Suga barred the door with one of the benches, coming to Daichi's side and staring down the elder as Kuroo remained on top of the guard.

"Huh. Am I supposed to be scared? A little lost boy is wielding a knife around." The elder stroked his beard, no trace of fear in his expression as he took in the scene before him.

"So we're not the first to come after you." Daichi replied. "Nice to know."

"You won't be the last."

Suga still didn't like the heaviness in the air, Hinata had described the feeling to him in depth at the tavern but he thought it was just a mage thing. It felt unusually warm, the fire pits weren't really necessary in the warmer season but both braziers were blazing brightly, casting shadows against the wooden walls of the building.

"Oi Dai, can I kill this bastard yet? He keeps squirming." Kuroo called.

The elder shrugged as Daichi's gaze didn't move from him. "Do what you wish, I don't need him."

"You heard the man." Daichi replied. "Kill him. Make it quick though, we have business to discuss."

Suga felt his moral compass object but willed himself to look at the bigger picture. A loud gurgling noise filled the room as Daichi continued to stare down the older male. Kuroo scoffed as he rose from the now dead guard and stood next to them.

"So, you're not just waving knives around for show." The elder hummed, shifting in his seat in vague curiosity.

Suga snorted, playing into the role as he stepped forward. "No. We're not. We have a bone to pick with you." Kuroo started pacing the room, watching from afar as Suga walked around the throne towards the blade mounted on the wall. "This is a nice blade up here."

Daichi remained where he stood, rapier trained on the older man. "You don't seem like the sword type."

"Oh he's not." Suga hummed, reaching up and taking hold of the hilt. "He said he doesn't need a guardsman, yet this sword looks like its' seen a fair few fights." The hunter took the blade from the wall and brought it back to Daichi. "See the indents here?"

To Suga, the sword felt weirdly weighted but he brushed it off due to its unusual shape and the fact he wasn't a swordsman. He did know that dents in the blade were a tale-tell sign of a hard fight, a fight that the elder showed no sign of being part of.

"Why don't you quit beating around the bush and tell me why you're really here?" The elder scoffed, clenching his fist on the armrest of his throne. "I do hope it was worth killing that guard over."

A silent glance was exchanged between Suga and Daichi. The guild leader smiled slightly as Suga took a few steps towards the throne again. "Okay, we'll cut the bullshit as long as you do the same."

"The tension is killing me here..."

Suga brought the blade up to the elder's chest. "Tell us about the last bandit raid." He uttered, steel kissing the black bear pelt draped around the other's shoulders and upper torso. "You know the one we're talking about."

"And what exactly are you hoping to gain?"

Kuroo bit on his tongue to prevent himself snapping. Suga's style of interrogation was to subtlety raise the stakes but it took a long time to get going. Daichi glanced over his shoulder at Kuroo and nodded for him to move.

"Your cooperation in a certain task of ours." Suga replied, turning the blade slightly. "You must've heard by now, surely? Or have your scouts decided not to bring it up?"

The first flicker of uncertainty crossed the elder's face. He cleared his throat and shook his head. "I have no idea what you're referring to."

Daichi watched Kuroo silently stalk around the outside of the room like a mountain lion ready to pounce, drawing his dagger slowly whilst the elder's attention was firmly on Suga's actions. The fires blazing in the braziers hissed and popped violently, catching Daichi's eye and stirring a sense of unease in him.

"There was a commotion in the forest yesterday, a large beast we heard...roar louder than a clap of thunder. Ring any bells?" Suga's voice was soft, the same tone he used when he spoke to the younger brothers, Daichi knew that in this situation it was a warning that things were about to escalate quickly.

"Hmph. So what?"

Kuroo had reached the throne from behind, he caught Suga's eye and waited for the signal. The hunter smiled beneath his mask, rotating his wrist as he let the blade draw a line down the man's chest, halting it just above the apex of his legs. Daichi noted the bob of the Adam’s apple, the slight panic in blue eyes and whitening knuckles.

"So, didn't it make you remember a certain...event? A stormy night at sea perhaps?"

"May-Maybe." He grumbled. "What do you want with that information anyway?"

" _Now_ we're getting somewhere." Suga remarked, pulling the blade away and watching as the older man's body relaxed now the impending threat was gone. Barely two seconds passed before Kuroo's dagger was pressing against his throat, free hand in a vice grip around one wrist whilst Suga brought the edge of the blade to rest on the other. "Ah-ah. Now now, we're only just getting started. Tell us about that night hm?"

Daichi allowed himself to lower his sword, sheathing it before he stepped forward. Slowly they were beginning to crowd the elder's space, such was a tactic they used often to get their victims to squeal before death. Usually it didn't take much to break them, simply a wave of a blade and a few honeyed words did the job. However, this wasn't a normal interrogation.

"That night huh." The elder continued to grumble, Kuroo's blade not moving from his throat. "What do you already know?"

Suga raised an eyebrow, it was far too easy in his mind. "We know something happened that night to dissuade them attacking you again. The rumours range from them slaughtering all of you to you selling off all your women and girls to them to buy peace."

"Sell off?!" The first sign that the elder was starting to bend to their will came in form of his eyes widening in disbelief. "What fuckery--who have you been speaking to?"

Kuroo chuckled, reminding the other of the blade kissing his neck as he rested his head on the elder's shoulder. "Now what kind of businessmen would we be if we gave up that info eh? Tell us, do they speak the truth? Did you sell off your 'assets' to broker peace?"

"Don't be fucking ridiculous!"

"So what _did_ you do?" Suga asked. "Bandits don't just decide one day to stop raiding a village."

"We would know, we operate in the same way." Kuroo added.

"Mhm. So, how did you guarantee the safety of your charges?"

"Oh I got one, did you hand over a priceless relic?"

Daichi held back the laugh that threatened to leave him as Kuroo and Suga continued their back and forth, throwing out wild accusations and ideas of what the elder offered, sold or did to broker peace with the bandits. The idea was to make the other so appalled at the idea that he eventually snapped and told them what _really_ happened. It counted on the elder being a proud person and wanting to uphold his position of authority.

"What about this, you said you didn't 'sell' anyone, but what if the bandits were the ones bartering?" Suga's tone dropped, a signal to Kuroo and Daichi he was done playing with his prey and wanted to get on with it.

"Ooh, yeah. You probably said 'we'll do whatever you want, you can take what you want just please don't hurt us!'" Kuroo mocked the elder's supposed begging voice. "So who was it?"

"Yeah, who was it?"

"I didn't, there was no-one! They took no-one!" The elder snapped, fighting against Kuroo's grasp on his wrist.

"You don't really seem like the family type of person." Suga continued, glancing around the room. "But you're the elder so you probably saw the children of the village as your own hm?"

A hard glare was shot at the hunter, a silent confirmation.

"Wouldn't be surprised if you took a shine to one of them, an orphan perhaps?" Kuroo had figured out where Suga was taking this line of questioning.

"What are you talking about _now_?"

Daichi watched as Suga finally moved the sword away from the elder, catching it as the hunter threw it back to him. The hilt was heavy, the blade itself was denser than his own and angled differently. It was still a fighting sword though. He held it in front of him, steel catching the firelight slightly as he got a sense for how to wield it.

"This sword isn't like any other we've come across." Suga said, drawing one of his daggers and bringing the tip to the fastening cords of the bear pelt hung over the other's shoulders. With a simple flick of his wrist, the weak cord snapped and allowed the heavy fur to be slipped off, exposing the elder's shoulders to the blades present. "And it's not just for show either. It's been used, my question is who was the last to wield it?"

A small noise left the elder, eyes darting between Suga and Daichi as he gritted his teeth. "Fine. The last to wield it died to save the rest of us. Happy now?"

Kuroo tsked, letting his blade drop slightly. "Not _quite_."

"Tell us more about that then, if you have their sword mounted then there must be a worthwhile story." Suga pulled his hand back and waved his dagger in the air, runes glinting as they activated. "Or we could always force the story out of you."

"N-No. I'll talk."

"Good. I'm dying to know how true these rumours are." Suga hummed. "Start from the beginning then."

A heavy sigh left the elder, he shifted in his throne before conceding to defeat. "We were sick of being the first place in the realm they'd hit. They cut down dozens of our boys who took up the sword to fight them off. Sure the lads weren't the royal guard or anything, they had flaws but they died to protect their families, mothers lost sons, sisters lost brothers, daughters lost fathers." He told them. "There were a fair few girls who were handy with a bow or a sword so they started taking a stand. Still, with each raid it got worse and worse. As quickly as we got a group of young 'uns trained enough to not stab themselves, the bandits would be back."

"You didn't petition to the King? This is his realm after all, surely he'd send some reinforcements?" Daichi asked, lowering the sword and watching Suga's dagger still in the air above the elder's thigh, a silent warning to not stop talking for too long.

"Pah, he's too busy making up stories about a rival royal house."

"Continue." Suga stated.

"Eh, the raiders never slaughtered the entire village outright, it was always like they just enjoyed toying with us. They enjoyed killing our children and stealing wares but always fucked off by dawn as long as we surrendered." He sighed. "It was just how things were...but it couldn't go on."

A moment of silence passed. The elder's gaze on the blade in Daichi’s hand.

"There was a girl, she was good with the real young 'uns. Always smiling, always instilling this..." he gestured to the air with his free hand, Kuroo's hand still keeping the other held down. "this sense of loyalty to the village. She wasn't really the housewife type though, actively turned down the boy's advances and instead took up the sword. She was still polite, graceful and everything a good daughter would be."

"Was she yours?" Kuroo asked.

"No. Her father was a fisherman, honest working guy but died during one of the raids. Her mother was the butcher of the village. The girl would go hunting, the mother would skin and gut the kill to feed everyone."

"So how do they tie into this?" Suga asked, not taking everything the other was saying as the whole truth. Sure there were elements that seemed truthful, but there was every chance that they were being spun a tale of lies. "And did this girl have a name?"

"Kiyoko." The elder replied, voice losing its angry tone and coming off more as sombre.

None of the guild brothers reacted, it was confirmation that Kiyoko did indeed come from the village. Kuroo fought to keep his focus on holding his blade still, not letting down his guard as Suga's unrelenting gaze on the elder spurred him to keep talking.

"Kiyoko didn't like how we just accepted that the bandits would always come back. She felt that we could do more, we could drive them off somehow, make a stand and make it stop. Most of us just let her believe that but we all knew it was futile. After her father died, she took up the sword, not in an act of revenge or vengeance, but more to make sure none of the other kids lost their fathers to 'the beasts'."

"She took up the sword?" Suga clarified.

"Mhm. That katana there, that was her blade." The elder nodded to the sword in Daichi's hands. "She bought it from a trader in Tanishiti..."

"That's a long way for a girl to go alone." Kuroo remarked.

"She wasn't alone. I went with her. One of the things she drove for as she got older was for us to go to the King, to make him listen to what was happening. I allowed it, I wanted to believe he would help, that we wouldn't lose any more children to the barbarians from the other realms."

Daichi and Kuroo exchanged a glance. Suga didn't break his gaze with the elder as he waited for more information.  "So she took up the sword, then what?"

A grunt left the elder, he drummed his fingers on the armrest of the throne. "A storm rolled in off the ocean, not unusual but it's still never a good thing." He said. "Sure enough, out of the rain came the sight we dreaded; a long-ship beached itself on our shore and several armed men leapt from it. In the midst of the howling wind and crashes of thunder I called for arms. Kiyoko didn't hesitate to run in. I focused on helping the women and children into this hall to hide out the fighting and the storm, I had faith in Kiyoko, we all did."

Daichi glanced down at the sword, rotating his wrist and watching the steel reflect the flickering firelight. They let the pause in the story rest for a few moments.

"What happened?" Suga pressed.

"The fighting continued for a while, I left to find out what was going on. I saw the bodies strewn across the rocks, the blood spatter on homes, animals running panicked. Kiyoko was still fighting one of the brutes with only two of our boys left by her side. One was cut down and the other looked terrified. Kiyoko turned to him and told him to run. She tried to finish off the brute herself but..."

He trailed off, clenching his hands into fists again and sighing heavily.

"He grabbed her sword arm and lifted her off the ground, she fought to get free but he ran his sword through her. I still remember the point tearing through her thin armour, dripping with blood."

Despite the very obvious flaw in the story, Suga nodded in understanding. "She gave herself to save the other?"

"Yeah. And I don't claim to know what the brute was thinking but he looked up at me and the one who survived and laughed before just...just ambling back over to the long-ship and leaving." The elder finished. "That's what happened."

Suga hummed, nodding again as he backed away. He paced the floor just in front of the throne, meeting Daichi's gaze and raising an eyebrow. Kuroo still had the blade hovering near the elder's neck, waiting for another signal. The hunter waved his dagger around a little as he let the silence draw on.

"Well, that _is_ a good story." Suga remarked, glancing back over to the elder and stilling his hand momentarily. A second passed before he flicked his wrist and sent the dagger through the air. The blade embedding itself in the thigh of the elder, runes pulsing as blood seeped into the thin material around it. A loud pained noise left the older man only slightly stifled by Kuroo's blade still in a position to draw more blood. "However, we have a few issues with the order of events."

The runes on the dagger continued to pulse a bright red, the elder's gaze fixed on them as Suga nodded to Daichi to take over. The guild leader hummed as he stepped forward, taking up the space Suga had left. The older man's breath was ragged as he breathed through the pain, blade still lodged in his leg for the time being, taking it out could prove fatal though and that was the new threat Suga was holding over him.

"Kiyoko didn't die. Did she?" Daichi asked. "No, no she didn't. You know how we know that?"

A flicker of fear pooled in the other's eyes before rage replaced it. "How then? Come on you fucking sadists, stop pissing about!"

"Because one of our brothers found her." Daichi replied. "He found her in the mountains, alone, scared, cold..."

"Oh, and looking strangely like a _dragon_." Kuroo added with a hiss.

"Care to explain?"

"A dragon? What the fuck are you talking about?"

Suga hummed, unsheathing his second dagger and holding it over the brazier. "We think you know exactly what we're talking about."

"Note, you didn't say we were _wrong_ when we said she was alive still." Kuroo chimed.

The flames licked at the steel, runes activating and glowing bright blue as Suga turned the blade over. "So, do tell what _really_ happened."

"You don't want him to have to use that." Kuroo remarked as the elder's gaze fixed on the blade being warmed. "He's already stabbed you, I advise you spill the details and save your balls whilst you can."

"We know there was a bandit raid" Daichi continued, barely giving the other a chance to say anything "but Kiyoko didn't die. We know someone put her in the form of a dragon."

The elder was trembling slightly as Suga continued turning the blade around in the flames. Kuroo pressed his dagger roughly against his neck as a reminder of the question.

"Fine! She...She wanted to fight them. She wanted to fight them but wouldn't hear reason!" He spat. "She would've been slaughtered, she was just a girl!"

Suga snorted. "Just a girl? Lovely mentality."

"You know what I mean!" He hissed. "They cut down entire groups of men, one girl wasn't going to stop them all! And you _know_ they would've taken her alive and--and made an example of her!".

Kuroo let out a low grunt, steel slipping a little, small red droplets staining it as his hand trembled. "Either way, who or _what_ turned her?"

"We know it wasn't just any mage. It was an aura mage. You know one, don't you? Where are they?" Daichi asked.

The elder's free hand unclenched, he spread his fingers in the direction of the unmanned brazier. Daichi's gaze followed the action, the previous sense of unease heightening in his mind. The flames started hissing and popping more violently than before. Suga stepped away from the other brazier, blade white hot from the fire, the heaviness in the air he had felt when he first entered the room came back to the forefront of his mind.

Without warning, the fire sent out a pulse of heat, flames turning a garish shade of green. Kuroo knew he couldn't kill the guy but he couldn't just let this happen. He took the blade away from the elder's throat and forced his outstretched hand down against the armrest. The fire abruptly went back to how it was before. Suga didn't waste a moment, stepping forward and holding the still white-hot dagger above his collarbone, the heat radiating off it and onto exposed skin.

"Hit the nail on the head, didn't we?" He remarked. "So we got the who, so now the _why_."

"I could end you all right now if I wanted to." the elder snarled.

"But you won't." Daichi said. "You won't, because how will you explain it to your village?"

"Shut your fucking mouth, you don't know shit--"

Kuroo chuckled. "They bought your story didn't they? You told them the fable of Kiyoko, dying a hero's death to save the village. We heard all about it."

The dagger was cooling quickly as Suga raised an eyebrow. "And if you kill us now with your magic, magic they don't know about, questions will be raised."

Kuroo resumed his mocking tone from before. "Why didn't you save her? Why didn't you use your magic to save us? Why did Kiyoko die?"

"You'll be exposed for the weak man you are." Daichi uttered. "A coward who could've summoned the elements to defend his people but rather than do that, you let countless others die."

"And then made out that a girl died a hero's death...when she's actually alive." Kuroo finished.

There was a pause. Bright blue runes still shining as the dagger was pressed down onto the elder's body. He let out another pained noise and flexed his wrists against Kuroo's vice-like grip, the other not giving him the chance to move.

"She alone couldn't defeat them. And I couldn't take the entire horde on either." He snarled, glaring at Suga the entire time. "So I told her I could...give her more strength, that she would be able to save everyone this way."

"Keep going." Suga stated, pulling the blade back, an angry red imprint being left behind. "So what did you _really_ do?"

"I...I transmutated her." He hissed, partly in pain and partly in reluctance to confess. "I didn't intend for her to stay in that form but she...she struggled! She got cold feet at the last second so I had to force her to go through with it or else _everyone_ would've died."

Kuroo snorted. "A girl finds out you want to turn her into a dragon and she resists? Who've thought it."

"I couldn't tell her what I was planning until the last moment, I knew she'd--"

"You knew she'd say it wasn't honourable? That it's taboo magic at best? That becoming a dragon had no guarantee of solving the mess?" Kuroo continued.

Suga knew deep down that this had been the truth, he had pieced most of it together whilst Kenma was working on it but didn't want to cause mass hysteria over it. Now he just had to keep Kuroo calm enough to get the incantation out of the elder. Daichi cleared his throat, summoning their attention.

"So the ritual you put her through went wrong?" He asked.

"...no. It worked as intended. She transmutated into a dragon." The elder grumbled, shoulders trembling slightly. "It was meant to only last as long as the raid...but things got fucked up."

"Fucked up _how_?" Suga rotated the blade and pressed down again, sharp edge biting into skin and drawing blood. This time a loud snarl of pain came from the elder in response.

"I fucked up the measurements of herbs!" He snapped. "And she never fully consented so when I applied the power to the incantation there wasn't enough energy to pay the price in full-- it was the middle of a fucking storm _and_ a raid, excuse me for wanting to protect my people!"

Kuroo lost his patience, abruptly releasing the other's wrists before wheeling around the throne to get in his face, shoving Suga aside in the process. "Fuck off! If you really wanted to protect your people you would've exposed your magic and fought with them, you would've accepted help from other villages, you wouldn't have _lied_ to them all this time!"

"I did what I thought was right!"

"Well you were _wrong_ and you need to wise up to that fact!"

Daichi drew his rapier, the elder's hands had been freed and now faced both braziers. The fire was beginning to his and pop again. Suga had noticed too, he sheathed one dagger and considered how to get the other out from where it was still embedded inside the other’s thigh. Whilst Kuroo continued bearing down on the elder, Suga reached under him and closed his fingers around the hilt. With little concern for their victim, he ripped the blade from its target. A howl of pain erupted as he clumsily wiped the blood on his pant leg and sheathed the dagger. The katana lay on the floor where Daichi dropped it in his haste to arm himself properly, the hunter picked it up and retreated to Daichi's side.

"Okay, so if you're really that torn up about it," Kuroo snarled, not backing down despite the danger "you'll have no issue with telling us the incantation to change her back hm?"

"Change her back?" The elder smirked, breathing heavily as blood gushed from his wound, he still had an air of defiance about him which didn't sit right with Daichi. "That's a good joke. I'd like to see you _try_ , given the price required to do such a ritual was never paid in full you'd have to double the energy harnessed by myself. And us aura mages are a rare breed."

The fire in the braziers roared, heavy smoke billowing towards the ceiling vent. Kuroo knew they had no chance against a pissed off aura mage, he knew very little about them but what they _did_ know told him they were better off tapping out whilst they could.

"Don't think this is over." Kuroo uttered. "We'll reverse your fuck up and then Kiyoko can decide what we do about you."

Daichi nodded to Suga and then to the back window they had debated smashing earlier. With the katana still in hand, Suga made his way to the pane of glass and used the hilt to smash it. The smoke was still thick in the room even with the vent shaft so he wasted no time in bailing out the opening and into the long grass. Daichi wasn't far behind after yelling for Kuroo to bail. Once safely up on the cliff again, Suga let his guard down enough to let Kuroo know what he thought of the result. Tugging his mask down and breathing in the fresh sea air before launching into his rant.

"...you just _had_ to lose your cool." He remarked as Daichi studied the katana in the daylight. "You couldn't just _wait_ and let me handle it?"

"You were taking an age and a half!" Kuroo replied, turning from where he was adjusting Yuki's saddle, soot was smudged over his cheekbones from the smoke he encountered on escaping. "He was getting cockier by the minute and actively manipulating fire!"

"I had it under control!"

"Like hell you did."

"You just didn't like what you heard," Suga seethed "you saw yourself in him, didn't you? Someone so eager to protect everyone that he makes fucking insane decisions without thinking and then wonders why the hell it all goes to shit."

Daichi heard the slap and froze. He looked up from the blade and saw Suga's normally pale cheek beginning to blossom a deep shade of angry red. Kuroo didn't wait for a retaliation, he mounted Yuki and immediately set off at a canter, leaving a stunned Daichi and a livid Suga in his wake.

 


	26. Reversing Curses

Chapter Twenty-Six

Reversing Curses

  
When the sun began to set, Bokuto declared they needed to leave. It fell to him and Yaku to settle things with the barkeep, they had decided that regardless of how smoothly the ritual went, returning to the tavern after would be unfair on the owners and possibly dangerous. After paying out the required coin and a little extra as a sign of goodwill, Bokuto made the decision to tell them who they really were and state that due to their hospitality, the guild's services were open for hire to them. The tavern-maid seemed doubtful until Yaku produced their seldom used calling card; a simple piece of parchment with the silver owl of the guild inked onto it, stating that if they needed the guild's services to send a message via crow with the calling card.

With the business side of things taken care of, they set off on foot to the clearing. Everyone knew what they had to do, everyone knew this had every chance to get bloody beyond reason, everyone knew it wouldn't be a simple job. Everyone had known that from the beginning, yet through the arguments and doubtful moments they had stuck true to their cause.

The sky was cast in a pale orange glow as they followed Kenma and Bokuto through the foliage. No-one said anything, each brother lost to their own thoughts about what was to come. Even Kunimi had nothing to say on the matter, just following Kindaichi, checking he had all his blades with him and that they weren't being followed. When the clearing opened up in front of them, the familiar heaviness in the air greeted them.

"Okay." Bokuto puffed out his chest. "You all know what to do, don't deviate from your orders unless Kenma says so."

Akaashi immediately got to work placing the herbs in their appropriate circles; sage at the top of the circle, mistletoe in the bottom left and hemlock in the bottom right. Kenma watched in silence as Hinata cautiously stood on the right-hand side, Bokuto was going to be guarding his back - from what, Hinata still didn't know - and Tanaka would be guarding Nishinoya. Kunimi and Yaku were closest to the ocean, directly across the circle from Kenma who'd be flanked by Kindaichi and Akaashi. Once the others arrived they'd be bolstering the defence from the village side.

At least that was the plan. Plans had a funny way of going wrong.

The herbs were all in place, Hinata had the extra job of setting the sage alight at the same time Akaashi and Kenma lit the others. They just had to wait for two elements to come together; the others to return with the incantation and Kiyoko. The clattering of horse hooves signalled the first, except Akaashi quickly realised there were only two sets of hooves, not three. His realisation was confirmed when Daichi and Suga arrived without Kuroo.

"...what the fuck happened to your face?" Bokuto called, even from several feet away, the red mark on Suga's cheek was obvious.

"Doesn't matter right now." Daichi cut in, quickly dismounting Amaya and striding towards Kenma. "So we have a problem."

"Don't we always..." Kenma sighed. "hit me with it."

"We didn't get the incantation, also the elder is an aura mage and...to cut a long story short he forced Kiyoko into the ritual - without her consent - so apparently that means there wasn't enough energy to seal the ritual properly, so her being a dragon _now_ isn't the desired effect."

"However, he said to change her back we'd need to pay the full price from before _and_ then some." Suga added. "Which means more than one mage is required."

"Good job we have four then." Kenma muttered, casting a glance to Akaashi. "Looks like we'll need you after all."

The other shrugged it off. "Where's Kuroo?"

Daichi and Suga exchanged a glance. "Uh, well the reason we didn't get the--" Daichi started only to be cut off by the hunter.

"Kuroo lost his patience, fucked up the questioning and then slapped me when I called him out on it." Suga held nothing back as he let the guild leader's unofficial lover know exactly what happened. "Then he rode off and we haven't seen him."

Akaashi had many questions - and a fair few curse words - in mind to utter but recomposed himself. "Fine. So what do we do about the incantation?"

Kenma sighed. "I can make one up, but I have no idea if it'll work."

"Well thanks to Kuroo, the elder is now riled up and could very well be out to get us." Suga huffed.

"I mean...you stabbed him as well so I think we've given him more than enough reason." Daichi tried to cool the rising tempers. Kindaichi took the horses into the trees out of the way, as he secured them to a tree, he found the katana they had swiped from the elder. He brought it back to the clearing and asked for an explanation.

"Oh, that was apparently Kiyoko's." Daichi explained, gaining Kenma's attention.

"That...that could be useful. Give it here." He accepted the sword, running through different incantations in his mind as he gazed at the blade. "Daichi, I need you to tell me exactly what the terms of this ritual were, and quickly."

 

* * *

 

 

Nishinoya hated waiting around, but he couldn't leave Kiyoko alone during this time. He had been told what he'd have to do once at the clearing so he didn't see the point in being there all afternoon. The forest was quiet throughout the day, Kiyoko didn't seem to want to talk much which was understandable. They simply sat in silence, Nishinoya summoning his sparks occasionally to watch the bolts of light illuminate the air. He knew when night fell, they'd have to move closer to the clearing so they could hear Tanaka's call. It was a painful waiting game really.

The clattering of hooves surprised him. Kiyoko startled, tail whipping around in the low-lying foliage at great speed until Nishinoya signalled for her to calm. The familiar grey mare set him at ease, but then caused confusion. Kuroo arriving here wasn't part of the plan.

"...is everything okay?" Nishinoya asked, putting himself between the guild leader and Kiyoko. He hadn't forgotten how poorly Kuroo reacted to the first meeting.

"So we got told an interesting story by the elder." Kuroo replied, mask tugged down and showing the smudged soot clearly on his face. Nishinoya didn't like the sound of his tone. "I've just come to confirm something."

Nishinoya was prepared to defend himself if needed, but Kuroo didn't dismount from Yuki, a sign he really did just want to exchange words. "Okay..."

Kiyoko stirred slightly, an unspoken reply. Kuroo nodded, fiddling with the reins of the mare as he figured out how to word his question. "He told us that the ritual took place because you wanted to be stronger."

"...that has some truth to it." Kiyoko replied, guarded with her wording. "What else did he claim?"

"That you got cold feet at the last second, that your reluctance was what fucked up the ritual and left you like this."

She rose to her feet, a low growl coming in reply. "Tell me this, if you were told that the 'only way' to save your family was to let yourself be turned into a beast of the skies, would you do it?"

"Oh, believe me Kiyoko, I've been there. I've done far more than you could imagine."

A tense silence fell, Nishinoya noted the look in Kuroo's eyes said more than his words ever could. Regret was the first emotion to pop to the mage's mind.

"So could you blame me for resisting? I didn't want to be turned into something I wasn't. When I fought, I fought with honour. I fought knowing I could die at a moment's notice." She stepped towards him claws digging into the loose dirt. "But I knew who I was. I knew what I stood for. He told me the ritual would grant me more strength, to weigh the odds more in my favour. What he didn't tell me was that my soul would be bound to that of a beast."

"Such is the way of some mages." Nishinoya uttered. "They disgust me."

"When I saw the dragon hide, the blood, the herbs being burned, I knew something wasn't right. When he started saying those words..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "I couldn't stop it but I could resist. I didn't know that it would end up like this."

Kuroo nodded. "Do you remember the words?"

"Why?"

"Kenma will need them. We failed... _I_ failed to get the incantation from him...without them we're almost powerless. And your elder is now probably on his way to get even with us."

Nishinoya gave Kuroo an incredulous look. "You _what_?"

"I will not fight him in this form. If I fight him, I fight him as I was."

"Well I need the words, I'll be able to get them to Kenma quickly." Kuroo argued. "If you want to fight back with honour we need to change you back."

Kiyoko snorted, shaking her head. Her wings extended a little before tucking back against her body. "My memory of them is hazy at best, but here's what I remember."

 

* * *

 

 

The darkness had set in quickly. Those stood around the outside of the clearing were handed flaming torches by Kindaichi, illuminating the area as best they could. Hinata felt isolated as he waited by the small circle, his hand went to the runestone around his neck, for a while he had pondered how to activate it properly like Yaku did with his. As he had been waiting around for Kenma to piece together a new plan, he felt the faintest of pulses from the stone. The red glow was subtle at first but the more he focused on it, the more it brightened. It calmed his nerves a little. He still had very little idea about how to focus his energy on a circle, but he figured his powers would react to his surroundings when the time came.

Akaashi had been pacing around the circle slowly, checking the herbs were still in their places and that nothing abnormal was occurring. Kunimi had been sent to scout out the forest leading to the village, being warned not to engage with the enemy but to report back if he found any of them, Suga took up his post with Yaku. No-one dared to ask why Kuroo slapped Suga, or what actually happened to have tempers escalate to that degree in the first place, they had enough problems currently without adding 'guild issues' to that list.

The alchemist still had hold of Kiyoko's katana, listening to Daichi recount what they had learned. He had a vague idea of what he was going to do, but was still waiting a while longer for the sky to go fully dark. The heaviness in the clearing hadn't budged, he figured the sage would do a decent job of purifying the air but beyond that he wasn't sure how the area would react. As the last rays of the dying daylight were engulfed by the night sky, clouds blocking out the moon and leaving them with only the lit torches to see, he nodded to Akaashi to light the hemlock on fire. Hinata saw the visual cue and stretched out a hand to send a small ball of fire to the sage, the mistletoe also being set ablaze.

The sound of rustling in the bushes spooked Kindaichi, when the grey mare broke through the bushes there was a small sigh of relief from some of the brothers. Kuroo didn't even fully halt Yuki before he dismounted, approaching Kenma without even a glance to Daichi.

"Kiyoko remembered some of the incantation."

"...so that's where you were." Kenma remarked, not letting his own relief show as he listened to the words Kuroo spoke. He nodded and instructed the other to join Bokuto on the right-hand side of the circle, making eye contact with Tanaka and nodding.

Hinata felt the runestone hanging around his neck pulse as the high pitched whistle went out. The sage was smouldering, filling the air with white smoke. At first it felt peaceful, but that changed quickly as a strong breeze kicked up. He looked up to the sky, a dark shape was circling overhead, the glow of the torches was enough to illuminate the beast of the skies.

"She's here." Bokuto called out.

They watched as her wings folded against her body and she dropped out of the sky, only extending them again at the last moment to cushion her landing. The smoke from the herbs washed over the area as Nishinoya slid off her back and strode over to his position in the circle. Hinata met his gaze, the older mage nodding in reassurance before dropping to his knees and placing his hands inside the circle. Hinata followed his lead, the grass was dry, stones within the dirt cut into his hands but he splayed his fingers all the same.

Kiyoko met Kenma's gaze, her dark eyes flicking to the katana in his hands. "...you have it?"

"We do." Daichi replied.

"If you are okay with it, I'll be using it in the ritual. Your connection with it may provide us the power we need." Kenma replied. "The blade may not be the same afterwards however."

There was a pause, she blinked slowly and bowed her head. "That blade served me well, if its last use is to once again serve me, then so be it."

Kenma nodded, turning to Akaashi. "Are you certain you're okay with your task?"

"Yes. I'm the only one who can do it remember?" Akaashi replied.

"We don't know how she'll react in the moment, you could be injured or worse--"

"I understand the risks." Akaashi stepped forward, he regretted not taking a moment to tell Kuroo what the new plan was, but they were short on time as it was, he couldn't be distracted now. "We all do."

Everyone watched as Akaashi stepped into the circle, avoiding the centre and stepping on any of the new lines that had been carved into the dirt. Kuroo was confused, looking to Bokuto for some kind of explanation but only finding his best friend's slightly worried expression. Kiyoko waited until Akaashi stood still, breathing deeply and appearing to be in total control of himself.

"When you're ready Kiyoko." Nishinoya told her.

A sense of dread washed over Hinata as Kiyoko cautiously stepped inside the circle. The scent of the herbs in the air now, strong and near eye watering. Slowly, Kiyoko's entire body entered the inner shape of the circle. She stilled, Akaashi an arm's length away. Silence fell across the clearing. The non-mages of the guild got a sense of otherworldly energies were working as Akaashi reached out a hand and placed his palm on the space between Kiyoko's eyes.

"Relax." He breathed. "This is going to hurt, but I'll do my best to pull you through."

"Thank you." She mumbled in reply. "Thank you to all of you."

The wind picked up again, rustling the tree branches and bushes around the clearing. Kenma let out a heavy sigh, closing his eyes as he wrapped both hands around the hilt of the katana and approached the edge of the circle. He held the blade pointed down at the dirt, steel catching the light from the torches.

"Begin charging the circle." He stated.

Nishinoya nodded, inhaling deeply before focusing on the lines carved in the ground. The prickling in his fingers extending up to his elbows as he did so, sparks crackling into life and spider-webbing within the circle. As the pale blue light began spreading along the outer ring of the circle, so did the smell of singed grass. Hinata felt his fingers throbbing as he did the same, instinct taking over and flames erupting. The runestone shone brightly as the wall of fire whipped along the line towards the centre of the circle. He didn't focus on where it was headed, just the feeling of warmth in his veins as he kept his breathing steady. The sparks from Nishinoya's hands reached around the circle to him, spooking him slightly but no harm came to him as they lit up his circle and stayed there. Glancing up, he saw his flames had travelled along the inner lines of the circle, surrounding Kiyoko and remaining low-lying as they burned brightly, never straying from the carved lines.

With the outer ring charged with lightning and the inner lines with fire. Kenma took another deep breath and began the incantation, a combination of the words Kiyoko remembered and his own. He hoped to every deity listening at it would be enough. The wind had picked up, forcing him to speak louder than he would've preferred.

"In our weak and desperate hour, we call upon the ancient powers. Unbind this maidens soul, and give her back her body, whole.  
For it was taken in an act of deceit, in hopes that a nightmare, she would defeat."

Kenma lined up the point of the blade with the edge of the circle, sparks still crackling beneath it. If he missed, only the gods would know what would happen.

"But now the plight has long since passed, so now undo what once was cast!" He punctuated the incantation by driving the blade into the circle. A bright flash of blue caused him and several of the others to shield their eyes. Hinata and Nishinoya were dazzled by the light but couldn't remove their hands from the circles.

Kiyoko let out a loud roar. Akaashi winced as he reached out his other had to try and keep her still enough for him to help her. Bright red flashes clouded his mind, he saw the dragon she had been bound to; hollowed eyes, tattered wings, blood oozing from its jaw. The words Kenma had chanted were being replayed in his mind as he saw the shadowy figure of a warrior appear.

" _I fight with honour_." He heard, watching the shadow person staring down the dragon in his mind. His physical body was bearing the brunt of the assault, claws tore at his arms, he felt himself being pushed back as he dug his heels into the dirt. He could hear screams of pain from both beast and girl alike, the smell of burnt flesh and grass filled the air.

" _You can do it Kiyoko._ " He imprinted in her mind, ignoring the sensation of blood running down his arms, the splitting pain in his head, the shortness of breath.

The shadowy figure ran at the beast, sword in hand. The beast went for her, jaws snapping shut just shy of her as she ducked underneath. She ran the sword down the underside of its body. An ear-piercing screech leaving it as it wheeled around to face her again.

" _I will not be imprisoned by you_ "

He heard the snapping of bones, wincing once more. The shadowy figure ran again, this time jumping up.

" _We will not suffer because of him_."

As the beast reared up, she brought the sword up in a sweeping motion. She sliced through thin skin. Bones shattered in the blade's wake. A deafening roar hit Akaashi's chest so hard it winded him. He lost his concentration as he stumbled backwards, narrowly avoiding landing on the still sparking circle line. He shielded his eyes from the smoke, the sound of snapping bones echoed throughout the clearing. A pained scream punctured the air.

Silence fell.

The smoke hung in the air, it was thickest around the centre of the circle, leaving the non-mages of the guild clueless to the outcome. Bokuto held onto Kuroo's arm to stop him running in without thinking. Glances and expressions of confusion and worry were exchanged between brothers as they waited to see what happened.

Nishinoya was the first to stir, cracking open his eyes and seeing his hands black from the soot. His fingers ached and he was pretty sure he had friction burns. He forced himself to sit up from where he had collapsed in exhaustion, looking around and seeing Tanaka already jogging towards him.

"Are you okay? Shit bro that was...that was insane!" Tanaka babbled, a mixture of shock and relief in his voice as he knelt down to examine Nishinoya's wounds.

"Yeah, yeah I’m fine how is..." he trailed off as the heavy smoke still hung over the circle. "...oh."

"Yeah, the last we heard was a loud roar and then a _lot_ of bones snapping." Tanaka replied, Suga had joined them now and did little to hide the concern on his face.

Kenma had sunk to his knees, eyes on the blade still stuck in the ground. He had done all he could but was it enough? Kindaichi knelt beside him, unsure what to do as Daichi rubbed the back of his neck. The silence was heavy, they wanted to hear something promising from the smoke, anything to show that it had worked. Yaku had made his way to where Hinata was laying. The fire mage was motionless, hands still inside the circle and the runestone still pulsing as embers continued to burn. Yaku hissed for Bokuto to come over, unsure whether to touch the mage yet as he was still connected to the circle.

"Hinata? Yo, shrimpy." The larger male called, trying to wake him up. "Shoyo..."

The smoke was thinning slowly, enough to know there was no longer a dragon there. Kuroo ran his hands through his hair as he waited, waited for answers, waited to see if Akaashi was okay.

"Kenma! Kenma get over here, he's not moving!" Bokuto called, the alchemist didn't move or respond, too wrapped up in his thoughts. Kindaichi spurred into action instead, jogging around the circle and kneeling next to Hinata. He remembered when he first saw the mage, hiding behind Suga in the courtyard and looking terrified. He hadn't realised how much the other was prepared to give to the guild.

"Carefully pull his hands out." Kindaichi breathed. Yaku nodded and did so, no magical abnormalities made themselves known. Hinata's body was limp, the runestone's pulses slowing. "Okay, uh...roll him over?"

Footsteps interrupted the process. "Let me."

Kenma flopped down and placed both hands over Hinata's chest. He let out a small sigh before noting the runestone. "Ah."

"Ah?" Bokuto repeated. "What does 'ah' mean?"

"The stone." Kenma pointed. "It provided more energy than his body was prepared to deal with. He overexerted himself in the moment."

"So he's okay?" Bokuto asked.

Kenma noted the burns on Hinata's hands and the paleness to his complexion. "I've never seen this level of exhaustion...but yeah. I think he will be."

A sigh of relief passed over the small group, a brief rest-bite before the seriousness of the situation returned to them. Kuroo had paced over to Daichi, not wanting to stay still as the smoke continued to slowly dissipate.

"Please...please don't..." He breathed. "don't be dead please..."

Daichi saw no sense in trying to comfort the other, Kuroo was borderline hysterical already and trying to comfort him would only ignite it. He settled for watching the swirling cloud of darkness. Nishinoya limped over, Tanaka supporting him and Suga following close behind. Bokuto carried Hinata's almost lifeless body, Kindaichi and Yaku had little to offer in words of comfort.

The only one who had any vague idea of what had happened slumped to his knees again next to the katana.

"Kenma, we gotta ask...what actually happened?" Bokuto asked.

The alchemist shook his head. "It's...it's impossible to know. If Moniwa was right then my best guess is that she had to fight the soul of the dragon inside her to be freed. But beyond that..."

"And Keiji?" Kuroo breathed.

"...I sent him in there to try and ease her thoughts. I couldn't know what would happen--"

" _You_ sent him in there and you don't know what would happen?" Kuroo snapped. "Are you fucking crazy?"

Daichi sighed heavily as he watched Kenma startle. "Alright that's it." He grabbed Kuroo's arm and forcefully tugged him away from the others. "Pull yourself together Tetsurou." He hissed once they were out of earshot. "Yelling now isn't going to help, you and I both know Kenma did everything he could, don't you fucking _dare_ yell at him for this."

"He sent Keiji in there--"

"Akaashi could've said no." Daichi was losing his patience. "Look, I know you're stressed, I know you love him, I know you're scared to lose him but for the love of god don't take it out on the rest of us."

"But--"

Bokuto's voice interrupted their conversation and prompted them to look at the circle. The smoke had started clearing now, they could see Akaashi laying in the dirt shaking slightly. On the other side of the circle lay a girl, long black hair trailing down her back, ends singed from the fire. Her pale skin was littered in scratches, bruises, mud and blood.

"...it worked?" Kuroo breathed, all anger leaving him as he took in the scene.

Kenma stared blankly at the scene, unsure if he was dreaming or not. Bokuto let out a whoop of victory as Akaashi struggled to his knees, he too was covered in wounds and mud but he was alive. He glanced up and caught Kuroo's eye, smiling slightly before glancing over to where he last saw a dragon.

The girl was breathing but not moving any more than that. Once Kenma snapped out of his daze and ascertained the circle was safe to walk in, Suga immediately walked over with him to check her over. Akaashi was barely on his feet when Kuroo bolted over and swept him up, holding him close and burying his face in the crook of his neck.

"You're alive. Thank the gods you're alive." Kuroo breathed. "I thought I'd lost you."

Akaashi nodded, clinging to Kuroo like his life depended on it. "I'm alive." He confirmed.

Suga and Kenma discovered very quickly that Kiyoko was lacking in clothing. The alchemist was unable to stop his face flushing a deep shade of red at the unexpected side effect, Suga was much more composed, calling for Kindaichi to release Hotaru and send her over. Once the horse was present, the hunter rummaged through the supplies and found some spare clothing to at least cover Kiyoko up for the time being. She awoke as Suga finished securing the drawstrings on the loose shirt, he expected her to freak out but instead she nodded in thanks.

As she sat up, wincing from the wounds that still needed tending, she looked over at the band of brothers who were still processing what had just happened.

"How are you feeling?" Suga asked as Kenma recovered from his reaction and started wrapping Kiyoko's more serious wounds in bandages.

"...like I just fought a dragon." She replied quietly. Her voice was much softer without the residual growl of the dragon's throat. A small giggle followed her remark that made Suga laugh in return.

"Well you're...you again." He said. "And I know a few people who would want to talk to you themselves."

"I can imagine, well I need to thank you all." She nodded.

As she was helped to her feet, slipping into some hunting boots that Suga had spare, it dawned on everyone that she was nearly the same height as him. She was a little unsteady on her feet, so Suga helped keep her steady with a gentle arm around the shoulders as they walked across the circle to the rest of the guild. At first no-one knew what to say, all of them caught a little off guard by her natural beauty, even with the wounds littering her body, the mud and soot streaks on her face and the clothing that didn't fit her quite right.

Nishinoya was the first to say anything.

"I'm so glad we stumbled upon that cave." He remarked.

A laugh rose amongst everyone, even Kuroo who was still fawning over Akaashi, binding his wounds with some linen torn from his own undershirt. Kiyoko cleared her throat, silencing the group. "I just, I want to thank you all so much. You didn't have to help me, to put your lives on the line like you have. I know you all had your doubts, some more than others" she glanced at Kuroo who buried his face in Akaashi's neck out of shame "but regardless, you all gave up your normal lives to help me...I really can't thank you enough."

"We like cross-country quests of lunacy though." Tanaka stated with a grin, getting a slap to the back of the head from Daichi which set everyone off laughing again.

"He's right, but we also like helping people. Kuroo and I started this guild to help those who wanted to escape their past lives...to start afresh. You were...just a very abnormal case of that." Daichi replied.

"Well I thank you all the same." Kiyoko nodded, bowing her head in thanks as best she could.

They took a few moments to all hug Kiyoko, Hinata was just coming around when a crash in the bushes shattered the good feeling in the group. Kunimi stumbled out of the foliage, panting heavily. He took a split second to realise that Kiyoko wasn't a dragon before remembering what was so important in the first place.

"I dunno what the fuck you guys did, but you pissed off that elder _real_ bad." He panted. "He's furious. He's on his way and he's--"

More crashes in the bushes made everyone's attention shift. The clouds overhead seemed to darken more, the first few drops of rain started falling, a static feeling in the air preceded the first bolt of lightning hitting a nearby tree.

"Circle. Get in the circle." Kenma said. "Get away from the trees."

Daichi drew his rapier and stood at the edge of the circle, nodding in approval when Kuroo drew his own sword and joined him. "So, how about we sort this out once and for all?"

Kuroo snorted. "Believe me Daichi, I intend to."

From within the forest, the elder stepped out. In his hand was a long staff, a glass-like gem stuck in the end that was pulsing much like Hinata's runestone. His leg was wrapped in bandages, the rest of his body covered mostly by a long green cloak that shimmered in the rain.

"Ah. I was hoping I'd find you all here." He remarked, several armed men coming out from the bushes. "Now, how about we finish our little conversation from earlier? Starting with how stabbing a village elder is an offence under the King's law punishable by death."

He aimed the gemstone end of the staff at Suga, the stone shone a bright orange as it pulled rocks from the dirt beneath him and made them form a jagged ball. Within seconds the jagged ball was cutting through the air towards the hunter who was powerless to stop it.

A large chunk of ice intercepted it, shattering on impact and sending fragments of ice and rock everywhere. Bokuto stared down at Hinata who was still in his arms, the mage's jaw was clenched as he held out a trembling hand, fingers red raw from friction burns. Before any thanks could be given, Hinata let out a heavy sigh and went limp.


	27. Gestures

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Gestures

  
The guild found themselves surrounded. The circle wasn't going to offer any protection without magical interference. Nishinoya fell on his knees and tried to summon his sparks again to at least offer a little protection, his arms trembled as weak sparks crackled from his fingertips. He was too tired to power a barrier himself. Daichi and Kuroo immediately sprang into action, stepping forward and meeting the first few guards that the elder had brought with him, joined quickly by Kindaichi and Yaku. On numbers alone, the guild was outnumbered. With Hinata and Nishinoya exhausted, Kiyoko in no fit state to fight and Akaashi barely able to stand by himself, there was little hope to fend off an aura mage as well.

"You have some nerve." The elder uttered, pacing around the circle as Kenma sunk to his knees beside Nishinoya. "You waltz into my village, you accuse me of doing the unthinkable, you kill my guardsman, you steal my sword--"

A bright white light burst from the circle outline. Kenma gritted his teeth as he focused his thoughts on the familiar white veil. Protecting those who couldn't defend themselves was his priority now. Tanaka and Suga exchanged a glance before bailing out of the circle, weapons in hand and prepared to strike as the elder was distracted. With a bright flash of green from the staff, both were sent tumbling backwards, unable to get back to the circle as guardsmen set upon them like vultures.

Kuroo ran his sword through one's neck, withdrawing it quickly and slashing at another. He caught a glimpse of the chaos in the circle before getting set upon again. Yaku and Kindaichi teamed up and finished off one guard, using the flail to distract them and then running daggers through spaces in low-quality armour. Kunimi had bailed into the trees to use the cover to rain down shurikens on the field, knowing he'd be useless in close combat.

The rain fell harder, lightning flashed across the sky and thunder rumbled overhead. The dirt became mud, slipping and sliding became a normal occurrence. Nishinoya watched in horror as the fighting continued around them, Kiyoko glared at the elder, now being supported by Bokuto until she harshly shoved him away.

"And what does this achieve?" She called over the din of battle and the storm. "You've proved your point, what more do you want?"

"This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't resisted in the first place!" The elder bellowed back.

Akaashi spied the katana, having been dislodged by the barrier it now lay inside the circle. He picked it up and handed it to Kiyoko. "You said you would fight him in this form, right?" He told her, repeating back to her what she had said earlier.

She smiled slightly, gripping the hilt and nodding. "I did, didn't I?"

Daichi had finally gotten the brute who was bearing down on him to kneel. He didn't hesitate to run his sword across their shoulders, severing their head in the process. He ended the one trying to flank Tanaka, narrowly avoiding one of Kunimi's shurikens in the process. None of them expected to hear a war-cry. Looking up from the body at his feet, Kuroo saw Kiyoko break through Kenma's barrier and bring her sword down. The elder deflected it with his staff, the strong wood not giving despite the force applied. The two parried blows for a few moments before the gemstone glowed green again and sent Kiyoko tumbling back, much like Suga and Tanaka.

"Foolish girl." The elder remarked, turning his attention to Kuroo. "So, what was that about this not being over?"

"Fuck you!" Kuroo snarled.

The last of the guards were cut down by Yaku and Kindaichi's teamwork. The elder huffed as he looked around the clearing at the bodies. "You certainly know how to make a mess."

"Says the one." Kuroo remarked.

Kenma's barrier began to falter, unable to keep up the energy needed to maintain it. Nishinoya started panicking, knowing that the barrier was the last thing between them and certain death if the sword-arms failed. He put his hands on top of one of Kenma's, willing what was left of his energy to transfer to Kenma. Akaashi watched for a few moments before following suit with Kenma's other hand.

"Keep it together Kenma." Akaashi told him. "Use us if you have to."

Kiyoko struggled to her feet, Tanaka picked her up and took her back to the circle with Yaku and Kindaichi following. Suga and Daichi were flanking the elder as Kuroo kept his attention.

"You know, I figured there was something about you." The elder remarked, sending another pulse of green energy out and making all three of them stumble. "Couldn't quite put my finger on it."

"Oh piss off" Kuroo growled. "We don't give a shit."

A flash of orange dazzled Kuroo, when he got his sight back he found tree roots sprouting out of the dirt and heading for him. Before he could react, he was restrained, sword falling to the ground. Daichi and Suga halted in their movements.

"It's not so nice when you're the one being restrained, is it?"

"We're not the ones in the wrong here old man."

"You murdered in cold blood. Interrogated an innocent citizen, conducted taboo magic...need I go on?" The roots tightened around Kuroo's arms.

"You turned a girl into a dragon without her consent and then _lied_ to your entire village about it!" Suga called out. "What kind of leader are you?"

The staff was pointed at Suga again, orange flash summoning another jagged boulder. As it cut through the air, Suga threw up his daggers to try and protect him from the blow. He felt an impact on his side before landing heavily on the floor, shrapnel from the projectile falling onto him as it struck the ground. Daichi got to his feet quickly and prepared for whatever blow was headed his way. Instead the elder laughed, a low rumble of thunder accompanying it.

"That was cute. Real cute." The sarcasm in the remark cut deep.

Kiyoko watched in horror as the staff began to glow yellow. The clouds above rumbled, the rain kept falling. She gripped the hilt of her katana, trying to work out how to get one up on the elder. The roots around Kuroo's limbs were thin, thin enough to be easily cut. She nudged Bokuto and then nodded towards the roots. The other nodded in return, grabbing the nearest blade and following her out of the circle. The barrier was losing its effectiveness as time went on, but the combined efforts of the three mages was keeping it up enough to shield them from collateral damage.

"You don't understand how hard it was." The elder said, staff still charging as Daichi tried to form a plan in his mind. "You watch your village get attacked every other month, you watch people die on your watch and can't do anything to save them."

"You think that excuses your actions?" Daichi argued. "And if you're such a powerful mage, what stopped you using magic?"

"Tsk, shows how much you know about aura mages."

He drove the staff into the mud, bright yellow beam shooting up into the clouds. Kiyoko and Bokuto launched their attack on the tree roots, severing their ties to Kuroo and sending an orange flash back to the staff, disrupting the beam. Lighting crashed several feet away from Daichi, thunder rumbling.

" _You_!" The elder roared, seizing his staff and pointing it squarely at Kiyoko, the gemstone shone green again before a disc cut through the air, slicing the elder's hand and distracting him, small drops of blood falling to the ground as he gripped his staff tightly. He wheeled around to try and find the culprit, only to meet Kuroo's sword. He parried with the other, gemstone shining yellow again as he kicked Kuroo away, winding him.

A loud crackling sound came over the wind and rain, bolts of lightning hitting the clearing and the barrier. Kenma winced and trembled as he had to endure each hit personally. Akaashi could feel him giving up slowly. Those outside the barrier had to dodge each new bolt of static energy as the elder set his sights on Kiyoko again.

"I should've killed you after the bandits ran off. I _knew_ I should've killed you." He snarled.

She parried his hit with her katana, the fight beginning to leave her as he was relentless with his swings, the blade on the end of his staff sharp and glinting in the lightning. She backed up towards the forest, Bokuto had to help Kuroo to his feet so she was all alone as the elder seemed unwilling to let her surrender peacefully. Suga fell victim to the lightning, the burn on his arm too much to bare as he let out a loud cry of pain. Yaku pulled him into the circle and tried to help ease the pain as best he could, leaving Daichi to try and help Kiyoko.

The guild leader charged, Kiyoko slipped on the mud and was pinned down by the elder's foot on her arm. He grinned as he aimed the gemstone at her, catching a glimpse of Daichi and sending him tumbling back again with a green pulse. Kiyoko found herself at the receiving end of the staff again, stone glowing bright yellow, ready to strike. She gritted her teeth, trying to shield herself with her free arm.

From within the trees, a shadow leapt forth. A blade came cleanly across the elder's neck, blood oozing out as his eyes widened in shock. A frantic gurgle left him as he clawed at his attacker before the life began to leave him. Kiyoko freed herself and rolled away before the elder's body collapsed to the ground. A loud gurgling noise and then silence signalling that he was no longer a threat.

"I fucking hate mages." Kunimi grumbled, standing up and wiping the blood off his blade. He glanced up to see everyone looking at him with a mixture of shock and relief. "What?"

Kindaichi was the first to sweep him up in a hug, much to Kunimi's displeasure. "Akira, you saved us!"

"...I'm pretty sure I--"

Tanaka barrelled over and also hugged Kunimi, swishing the sentry between them both. "He's right you did! We were probably all goners if it wasn't for you!"

"Seriously, stop." Kunimi grumbled, trying to shove the sellsword away. "I just saw an opportunity."

Daichi shook his head, sighing heavily as he walked up and ruffled Kunimi's hair. "Regardless, you _did_ save us."

The sentry sighed, letting a small smile grace his face. The thunderous clouds dissipated, the clearing becoming calm again. The guild was in a state of exhaustion and pain, but also relief. It didn't take a genius to figure out they needed to camp somewhere _else_. The horses were summoned from where they had sought refuge in the deeper forest, Kenma and Hinata were the first to be put onto horseback, Kiyoko was offered the remaining saddle but she declined, wanting to get used to her human body again. Instead, Akaashi took the saddle, allowing Kuroo to fuss over him a little. Yaku and Kindaichi were in the best state, so they volunteered to take the elder's body to the village and leave a calling card with the message of the guild and a small - slightly untruthful - explanation;

_Through the shadows we persevered and this soul was marked to kill._

They didn't travel for very long, they stuck to the southern coastline, knowing that there weren't any other settlements between them and the marshlands. Camp was set up quickly, Yaku and Bokuto took charge of tending to the numerous bloody wounds caused by blades. Daichi personally saw to Suga's burn, the hunter too stubborn to let anyone really look at it until the guild leader forced him to. Akaashi's clawed arms were in need of fresh bandages and all of the mages had to have their fingers and palms wrapped to help the friction burns heal quickly.

Everyone was exhausted to a degree, some more than others, Hinata was groggy and confused as he had the entire fight explained to him over a hastily prepared stew. Making sure everyone ate became Bokuto's job as Suga promptly fell asleep after finishing his own serving. The rest of the guild following suit fairly quickly in succession. Daichi volunteered to take watch, Kuroo adamant he would stay up too. The fire crackled as everyone else slept. A moment of calm settled over the group. The guild leaders both had aches and pains in their bodies but someone needed to stay awake 'just in case'. There was a lot to discuss, a lot of things had been said, done, felt. Things that needed addressing.

"So do you want to start this now or later?" Kuroo sighed, he couldn't run from this forever.

Daichi groaned. "Where do we start?"

"I guess...I owe you an apology." Kuroo murmured. "For all the shit I've dragged you though."

"That's a start."

"I'll...I'll make it up to you, and Suga--god he's gonna be so mad."

Daichi shook his head. "I mean, _yeah_ , but if you fess up that you fucked up then he might go easy on you."

"...I just," Kuroo gestured to the air. "just what he said..."

The guild leader raised an eyebrow. "About what..."

"Making insane decisions." Kuroo's tone dropped. "He's right...I'm so eager to protect everyone that I make stupid choices."

Daichi leaned forward, meeting Kuroo's gaze over the fire. "We all make stupid choices."

"I _slapped_ Suga, I yelled at _Kenma_. Those are more than stupid choices Dai, those are asshole moves."

"Yes they are. So are you going to sit here and complain about them, or are you going to do something about them?"

The question hung in the air for a few moments. Kuroo sighed heavily as he nodded. "You're right...but about the Blue Serpents--"

Daichi put up his hand to silence Kuroo. "Not now." He smiled, nodding to Akaashi who was fast asleep in his bedroll. "That can wait, but you almost lost him today..."

A pang of guilt washed over Kuroo, he nodded and smiled back. He shuffled over and pressed a gentle kiss to Akaashi's temple. The other murmured a little in his sleep as he rolled back against Kuroo's hold. Daichi shook his head slightly as Kuroo settled down next to Akaashi, turning his attention to Suga's sleeping form. The hunter had a nasty burn on his bow arm which would put him out of action for a few weeks as it healed, Daichi knew the other would be ridiculously annoyed at it which made him chuckle a little.

He hoped things would return to normal soon enough.

 

* * *

 

 

Everyone was thankful for the roaring fire that morning. Yaku was on breakfast duty as the group awoke, each of them hungry despite the large meal the night before. Many complained about injuries, a few jokes were tossed back and forth as they ate together. Hinata was still a little drowsy, leaning on Kenma's shoulder as he lazily ate. Suga, true to Daichi's guess, was irritated by his bandaged arm and complained _loudly_ about not being able to use his bow. Bokuto remarked that he didn't need it, that he was lethal enough with the daggers.

"Did you really stab the bastard?" Kunimi asked.

"Yeah, in the thigh." Suga huffed.

Kiyoko rolled her eyes. "So you're all assassins..."

"Well--" Bokuto began, only to be cut off by Tanaka.

"Not quite." He grinned. "So we have Kenma the alchemist, Akaashi the mind-reading mage, Hinata the...uh...fire mage but also ice is a thing he can do, Noya is the thunder mage, Kindaichi is pretty much a stable-boy with an attitude--"

"Hey!" Kindaichi objected, Tanaka continued without hesitation.

"Kunimi the salty sentry, Kuroo's the guy who pretends to be all leader-like, Daichi is the _actual_ leader, I'm a sellsword, Suga's the hunter, Bokuto is a blacksmith and Yaku is actually the only assassin by trade."

"But we've all killed people so yeah, assassins." Bokuto shrugged.

There were mixed reactions from the group, most were laughing but there were a few sighs mixed in. Kiyoko laughed, hugging her knees as the fire began to die down. There was no rush to head home, they had the supplies needed to last. There was talk of swinging by Kōshi to tell Moniwa of their success, there was more talk of diverting to Tanishiti and buying better supplies. One question arose from their speculating.

"Hey Kiyoko, now that we've killed old crazy back there, are you gonna go home?" Bokuto asked.

A hush fell over the camp, Kiyoko toyed with the too-long sleeves of the shirt she was borrowing, the leather pants Suga had given her fitted more snugly and weren't so much of a bother. She shrugged.

"I mean, I can't really? The villagers think I’m dead, remember? How would I explain that I've been alive all this time and didn't come to help them?"

"True, but still, your mother is still--"

"My mother died the night I was turned." Kiyoko bluntly stated. "I watched her defend our neighbour to her last breath."

A somewhat awkward silence fell until Nishinoya broke it. "You could come back with us?"

A chorus of 'yeah's erupted, followed by 'can she Daichi?' and 'it'll be cool!' until the guild leader put up a hand to silence them all. He glanced to Suga and then to Kuroo before sighing heavily. "She can if she wants."

"I...your kindness never ceases to amaze me." She murmured, averting her gaze as her eyes grew misty. "Uhm actually I have a few more favours to ask of you all..."

"Go for it!" Tanaka declared.

Kiyoko brought out her katana, dented and smeared with mud. "Bokuto, being a blacksmith...do you think you could fix my blade? Or even just craft a scabbard for her--"

"Yes!" Bokuto grinned. "I can look at it if we go to Kōshi actually."

"What was the other thing?" Suga asked.

"Uh, well...I'm not sure how to explain. My sight isn't the clearest, and when I was in my village there was talk of sending for a doctor to give me eyeglasses but that never happened. I can see well enough, but reading maps and things like that are a struggle...I can see enough during combat to hit my target."

Daichi looked to Kenma. "Anything you can do?"

"No? Another item on the list for Kōshi." Kenma shrugged.

"Well I guess that answers that question." Kuroo sighed. "To Kōshi we go."

"Avoiding the marshland this time please..." Yaku sighed, getting a small laugh from everyone else. "I mean it!"

"Of course Morisuke." Nishinoya smiled.

Camp was broken up, the horses loaded up and a route plotted on the map for Kōshi. Hinata was advised to try and walk some of the distance that day, that resting too much may have adverse effects on his body. He felt a little more with it as the fresh air worked into his lungs, he was a little troubled by all the things they had seen. He wanted to ask about it but at the same time everyone was trying to relax a little. He found himself walking with Akaashi, the other kept glancing at him as if to ask why he was troubled, so Hinata started telling him about what he felt during the ritual.

"Kenma reckons the runestone gave your body more power than it was used to." Akaashi explained what he had heard over breakfast. "So that might be part of the reason you feel so drained now."

Hinata shrugged. "But...I saw things."

"What kind of things?"

Akaashi listened as Hinata described visions that seeing eerily similar to what he saw in Kiyoko's mind; a shadowy figure and a beast fighting to the death. He did a good job of hiding this fact from Hinata, he sensed telling the other about this eerie coincidence wouldn't end well.

"So yeah, I'm not sure what to make of them?" Hinata finished, looking up at Akaashi with a curious gaze.

"It seems that you're...you're showing signs of being able to read something. I'm not sure if it's thoughts or memories or what." He replied. "Which is odd if you're an elemental mage, but Kenma can do similar things, he just chooses not to."

The words seemed to bring some comfort to Hinata, he smiled and thanked Akaashi for listening before going to pester Nishinoya and Tanaka. Akaashi smiled slightly, even after dealing with the whole 'dragon situation' there were still mysteries to be solved it seemed, in a way that's how it always should be.

When they stopped that night, the sky was clear of clouds. Stars glimmered in the sky overhead, the moon was bright even if it was only half there. Most of the group fell asleep quickly again, but the two guild leaders remained awake, this time Akaashi and Suga joined them, not quite tired enough to pass out immediately. There was also the sense that a serious conversation was needed after certain events.

Kuroo didn't beat around the bush, he cleared his throat to summon their attention before speaking;

"So, uh basically I've been a huge dick recently." He said, hand clasping Akaashi's as it rested on his thigh. "And I've taken it out on both of you." He nodded first to Akaashi and then to Suga, gaze lingering on the hunter. "Horribly so."

"...right." Suga replied, glancing to Daichi for a brief moment before meeting Kuroo's gaze again.

"And I wanted to say, I'm sorry. I'm sorry Sugawara for slapping you, for talking out of term to you. It was wrong, _I_ was wrong...and I want you to know I'm going to try and make sure it never happens again."

The hunter smiled, laughing slightly. "I admit, I was harsh on you. I obviously touched a raw nerve and...well I'm sorry too."

A sigh left Kuroo. "We good?"

"We're good." Suga nodded. "Just don't do it again."

Kuroo nodded, his gaze turned to Akaashi, there was a softness to his smile. Kuroo felt a little crowded as Suga and Daichi watched them. "Uhm, do you mind if we take this...elsewhere?"

Akaashi raised an eyebrow. "No problem."

Kuroo led them away from the camp, the fire still visible and within earshot if an alarm was raised. Akaashi squeezed Kuroo's hand as they stopped. The stars were clearer away from the glow of the camp, for a few moments they simply gazed up at the sky, reveling in being alive. Kuroo brought his hand up to tilt Akaashi's face towards him, a fondness in his gaze.

"Hey..." He whispered, loving the way Akaashi's eyebrows raised ever so slightly in response.

"Hey."

"So, how are you feeling after...everything that you went through?"

Akaashi hummed. "Tired mostly."

Kuroo wasn't really sure how to lead off from that. "Well, you scared me half to death when you stepped in that circle."

Akaashi laughed slightly, expression returning to serious when Kuroo continued gazing at him fondly. "Sorry, but when you went off on your own, Kenma had to think fast..."

The older male nodded. "Yeah...my fault, again."

Akaashi shook his head, leaning closer and pressing his lips to Kuroo's in a chaste kiss. "Stop blaming yourself. Not everything is your fault."

"...I guess."

"So why have you dragged me out here then?" Akaashi asked, remaining close enough to only need to whisper.

There was a pause. Kuroo hummed quietly, pressing his lips to Akaashi's forehead. "I wanted to tell you something..."

"Oh yeah?"

"When the smoke was hanging in the air, when we couldn't see if you and Kiyoko had survived or not...there was only one thought running through my mind." Kuroo's voice was barely above a whisper as he held both of Akaashi's hands. "All I was thinking was... _don't be dead_. I-I couldn't think of anything else."

Akaashi squeezed his hands. "Really?"

"Last night when I was talking with Daichi, he reminded me of it. He said that...that I almost lost you."

Kuroo let go of Akaashi's hands, bringing his own up in front of him, finger and thumb going to his ring. Akaashi watched in silence, letting Kuroo fill in the blanks.

"You know what this is right?" He asked, holding the ring between them.

"Your mother's commitment ring." Akaashi murmured. "Your father gave it to her to..." he trailed off, realising where this was going.

"To remind her she was loved. When I left home, she gave it to me." Kuroo smiled, unable to keep the smile from spreading across his face as Akaashi's cheeks darkened a little in the moonlight. "And...now I'm offering it to you."

"Tetsurou...I--"

"You don't have to take it. I'm just...I just want you to know I care a lot about you." Kuroo's more flustered side coming out as Akaashi's stunned expression didn't show any sign of leaving. "I know it's cheesy and weird--"

He was silenced by lips on his. Akaashi smiled into the kiss before pulling away again. "I...I'm honoured." He whispered, offering his hand to Kuroo. "I'll wear it, I'll wear it and remember that you...love me."

Kuroo's smile grew into a grin as he slipped the ring onto Akaashi's middle finger, fitting perfectly. "Thank you Keiji..."

"I love you too Tetsurou."

The simple remark made Kuroo's eyes grow misty. He couldn't really believe that Akaashi had said it. He couldn't believe that the teenage boy he had met in the tavern had become so important to him, that they had been through so much and grown so close. The pang of guilt came back briefly when he remembered that he knew a lot about Akaashi, but Akaashi didn't know much about him. He quickly forgot about it as a gentle hand on his cheek spurred him to lean forward and meet the other's lips. There was something sweeter about the kiss as he felt the metal of the ring against his cheek.

 


	28. Breaking Point

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Breaking Point

 

The sight of Kōshi’s outer wall made the guild sigh in relief. The three days of traveling had pushed their already tired and achy bodies more than they'd preferred, many of them were looking forward to a night or two in a tavern and out of the elements. Daichi was already thinking of how to split up the party to make it easier to navigate the streets of the harbour town once again.

"You want to head to the smithy?" He asked Bokuto. "Take Kiyoko and some of the others with you?"

The other grinned. "I'll do one better, I'll take her to my pa, his forge is better plus we get the family discount."

"Good, I assume you can make her some chainmail or something back home, but if there's any spare pieces lying around that they don't mind her taking--"

"I got it Daichi." Bokuto nodded.

The horses were all showing their exhaustion, so much so that Kindaichi was adamant he personally saw to them at the tavern's stable, Kunimi offering to help him with the huge task of looking after all three of them. Suga gave them a bag of gold coins to pay for any fees they encountered, stating he'd be sticking with Daichi on his way to see Moniwa. Aside from the trip to the blacksmith, there wasn't any other business they needed to attend to, so the guild was dismissed to do what they pleased after the usual plan of meeting up at the tavern at sundown was established.

Kenma had been thinking about how to explain the entire ordeal to Moniwa as they rode the last few miles into the town. There was a lot to figure out, between what they had been told by other people and what they witnessed themselves it was a complicated story. Once within the town walls, they dismounted from the horses and handed the reins to Kindaichi and Kunimi. The group disbanded, most of them in high spirits as they split up, leaving Kenma with the two guild leaders, Suga and Akaashi.

"So, any idea how we're going to explain?" Suga asked.

"Uh, kind of." Daichi sighed, glancing to Kenma. "Do you want to do most of it? You were the one to piece it all together."

Kenma shrugged. "I don't mind."

As they walked the busy streets, they started getting a sense that something wasn't quite right. There were more than a few side-glances directed at them, that wasn't unusual but the closer they got to Moniwa's study, the wider berth people gave them. Akaashi's hand found Kuroo's as they walked closer together, he didn't like the sickening sensation in his stomach.

"Something's off." Kenma stated, unable to keep quiet. "We should hurry."

Daichi and Suga exchanged a glance, not entirely sure what the other was referring to but after everything they had experienced recently, they weren't about to let their guard down. Rounding the corner to the alleyway that Moniwa's study was situated in, nothing seemed out of place yet. However, once at the door things started to seem amiss.

"Blue paint." Daichi murmured, pressing a fingertip to the wood and coming away with droplets of paint. "Fresh."

Kuroo squeezed Akaashi's hand as Daichi unsheathed his sword, Suga took out one of his daggers and grasped the door handle. A simple nod was exchanged before the hunter shoved the door open and stepped inside. They quickly established that someone had paid Moniwa a visit and didn't hang around afterwards. Books and texts littered the floor, the large desk had been cleared in a rough manner sending inkwells spilling onto the floor and quills snapping under boots.

"...I'll give you one guess." Kuroo remarked, nodding to the back wall that now had a crudely drawn snake painted onto it in the same blue paint that marked the door.

"Why though?" Suga replied. "And where's Moniwa?"

After getting over the initial shock that the Serpents had been there, they began a search for Moniwa. He wasn't in the study, but they momentarily forgot about the loft above the bookcases. Kenma clambered up the ladder and found a nest of pillows and blankets surrounded by more books. He gently crawled over to the bundle of blankets that were clearly hiding a person, not wanting to spook the scholar.

"Moniwa? It's Kenma." He called softly. "Daichi and Kuroo are here."

"Are they gone?" Moniwa's response was, muffled by the blankets. "The Serpents?"

Kenma glanced around, there was no sign of the Serpents making it up to the loft area. "They're gone."

There was a pause before the blankets shifted. Moniwa's wide eyes met Kenma's, he was pale and trembling slightly. He made an effort to smile at Kenma after running his hands through his hair and fidgeting slightly. Suga and Daichi had begun clearing up some of the mess after they established that Moniwa was safe, Akaashi climbed up to join Kenma as Kuroo volunteered to watch the alleyway.

"What happened?" Akaashi asked once he noticed Kenma holding Moniwa's hands in an attempt to calm him slightly. "Are you okay?"

"No. No I'm not okay." Moniwa replied, looking between the two of them. "They burst in here, at least four of them, shouting and hollering."

"What did they want?"

Moniwa shrugged, trembling slightly. "I don't know, they were calling for me to 'come out and have a chat'. I just hid here, I didn't want to be killed!"

Kenma nodded, squeezing his hands. "It's okay, that's fine."

"They didn't stay long, made a mess but when it was obvious I wasn't down there, they cleared off."

The others had finished piling up the books that had been strewn around the room. There wasn't a clear motive behind the destruction, but that didn't mean anything to the guild brothers. Once Moniwa was calm enough to get down, he tried to explain what happened in more detail. Kuroo rummaged through odd pieces of parchment that littered the floor around his desk, some were ruined by spilt ink, others by blue paint.

"So they didn't take anything?" Suga asked.

"No...nothing obvious anyway." Moniwa sighed. "I don't know what they wanted from me..."

Kuroo snorted, holding a piece of parchment up to the light. "I have a vague idea."

Everyone waited for him to continue, Moniwa's gaze fixing on the parchment in his fingers. "That's...some of the notes on the transmutation."

Kuroo nodded. "They left you a little message," He showed them the bright blue lettering written over the top of the carefully inked notes. "seems like they were following us after all."

"Speak with the Silver Owl Brotherhood again and we'll make you regret it." Akaashi read out.

"Lovely." Suga sighed.

"And yet here we are." Kuroo hummed, tossing the note onto the desk. "So now what?"

Moniwa shook his head. "They're probably watching the place--oh god that means they're going to come back!"

Daichi put up a hand to cease the panicking. "Calm down."

"Why do they have an issue with you talking to us?"

Moniwa awkwardly shuffled, avoiding meeting anyone's gaze. Kuroo exchanged a glance with Daichi. Kenma raised an eyebrow before pacing over to the back wall. The paint was drying quickly and would take a long time to scrub off.

"This isn't the first time they've visited, is it Moniwa?" The alchemist asked.

The older males weren't expecting that statement. They turned to look at Moniwa who was still trying to avoid everyone's gaze. Kuroo shook his head before slamming his hands on the table, startling the other.

"...how much did you tell them?" His voice low, the sparking rage clear in his tone.

"I just told them you were heading east." Moniwa replied. "I didn't tell them what for..."

"They knew we were interested in Kiyoko's dragon form, we nearly killed those hunters over it." Suga said. "They know we left for an extended period of time, that it was important."

"We killed their mercenaries, of course they're pissed at us." Daichi added. "But it doesn't add up."

Moniwa met Akaashi's gaze. Akaashi wasn't one to randomly infiltrate the minds of others but it didn't seem likely that Moniwa was going to give up the information so easily. He took a step towards the other, sparing a glance to Daichi in an effort to check he wasn't about to get yelled at for his actions. When no verbal objection was made, he met Moniwa's gaze again.

 _"You know where he is, don't you? Spit it out already!"_  
  
"I don't! I swear to you I don't know where he is!"  
  
They saved my life, they gave me a second chance, I will not betray them!  
  
"Bullshit. They came to you to ask about their dragon, so spill it!"

Akaashi pulled himself out of the other's thoughts. Taking a second glance at the other he noted the still healing wounds of self-defense; red raw cuts on his hands, the faded bruising around his neck. Unless one knew they were there, the marks were barely noticeable.

"They're looking for Kuroo." Akaashi stated. "And you told them we were to the east."

"I didn't want to, they were going to kill me if I did!" Moniwa pleaded, gaze shifting wildly from one guild member to the next. "Please Daichi," he whimpered as the guild leader sighed "my hand was forced, they were ransacking this place, they were going to--"

"Enough"

Suga ran a hand through his hair, not envying Daichi in the slightest with this call. Standard protocol for traitors was a slow, painful and bloody death. However, Moniwa had been a trusted ally for several summers, it was not an easy choice to make.

"...Akaashi, is he telling us the entire truth?"

Moniwa's panicked gaze met Akaashi's stoic one, making it easy for the other to sink back into his thoughts again.

 _"So you're gonna be a loyal dog to them eh? No problem, we'll cut you down instead--"_  
  
"I know he's to the east, they didn't say where specifically. Just east."  
  
I'm sorry. I don't want to die. Please understand.  
  
"Oi boss, what if he's lying?"  
  
"Simple. Two of you idiots stay here and keep an eye on him. They'll come back for their mutt eventually...assuming we don't kill them all first."

There was a long pause once Akaashi pulled himself out again. He sighed heavily, giving Moniwa a guarded glance. "They're watching, aren't they?"

"Please I didn't, they're relentless once they have you as a target!"

Kuroo snorted. "Oh trust me, I know."

Daichi let out a heavy sigh. "Okay, so explain what you saw Akaashi."

The other ran a hand through his hair. "Well, my best guess is that they followed us to Kōshi, lingered for a day or two after we left, interrogated Moniwa on our whereabouts and then followed us east." He recounted. "But two of them resided here to watch if we came back."

"Perfect." Kuroo drew his sword. "I can castrate them myself."

"Kuroo, no." Suga pinched the bridge of his nose. "For a start, that'll just piss off their leader, secondly that won't _solve_ the problem. It'll just prolong it."

"He's got a point." Kenma remarked.

"But we can't just leave him here to get beat up, or worse, we gotta do something now we know about it." Kuroo said, gesturing to the painted snake on the wall with his blade. "'cause _that_ is a promise that they'll be back and show no mercy."

Daichi had reached his limit in regards to refereeing debates. "Okay, the rest of you go stand guard outside. I'll talk to Moniwa about this."

The brothers gave him a slightly confused glance but nodded, leaving the guild leader with the potential traitor. Daichi smiled slightly at Moniwa, watching the other relax slightly now that the more temperamental brothers were gone. For a while they didn't say anything, Daichi simply offered to help further tidy up the mess the Serpents made and Moniwa accepted. Together they put the books and texts back to where they should be, there was nothing to do about the paint on the walls but the ruined parchment was all piled up to one side. What could be salvaged of the spilt ink was put in a new bottle, the broken quills all set aside to be thrown away, the desk put back to how it was before.

Moniwa sat down in his chair and put his head in his hands. "I'm sorry Daichi."

"Sorry for what?" The other replied, flicking through some maps that had remained unscathed.

"For betraying the Brotherhood. I know you don't take these things lightly. The others will be asking for my head probably--"

A hand on his shoulder stopped him, he cautiously looked up and met Daichi's gaze. The guild leader smiled and shook his head.

"Kaname, you didn't betray us."

"But I told them where you were headed!"

"So? Kōshi is the southern-most town, it doesn't take a genius to work out we'd be heading east from the west." Daichi squeezed his shoulder. "You didn't betray us. You could've told them so much more, but you didn't. We're not going to take your life for it."

There was a pause as Moniwa processed this. He smiled slightly before rubbing his face. "But still, they're going to come back and kill me. Suga's right, killing the goons they send isn't going to solve the long-term problem."

Daichi took his hand away and rubbed his chin in thought. There was a reason he didn't want the others in the room. It was obvious that solving this Serpent issue wasn't going to be easy or quick, that every day they were still active was another day that Moniwa was in danger here.

"The long-term problem is one we're going to be working on back at the guild." Daichi hummed. "It's a bit cramped sometimes between jobs, but I'm sure Kenma's got space in his lab..."

Moniwa abruptly stood up. "You're...You're not suggesting I go back with you?" His eyes were wide, disbelieving as his shoulders trembled. "I can't accept that--"

"You've been a long-term partner of the guild, an honorary brother almost. We wouldn't have succeeded in turning Kiyoko back without your help."

"Turning her-- you did it? You actually reverse transmutated her?!"

"Yeah, Kenma was gonna tell you all about it but, clearly we got distracted."

Moniwa shook his head. "I...are you sure? It's another mouth to feed, another person to protect, I have no combat knowledge to speak of...."

Daichi put up his hand. "I'm sure. And I'm sure Suga will understand. Besides, we may need you to look into some things for us regarding Hinata and Akaashi's powers developing."

"What about Kuroo?"

Daichi's smile faded slightly. "Well, he has no right to complain. From what I can gather, he's the one who caused all this." He shrugged. "But, that's just part of a very complex problem, one that we'll all figure out together as a guild, including you, if you want to be part of that of course."

The scholar walked around his desk and took Daichi's hand in a firm handshake. "Thank-you Daichi, I...I don't know how I could ever repay you."

"Don't worry about that, you're practically a brother in my mind with all the help you offered with Kiyoko. We wouldn't have been successful without you."

"Successful?" Moniwa's eyes widened. "You did it?"

"Yeah." Daichi smiled. "She's joining the guild actually."

Moniwa sighed in relief. "Man...that just makes all this a little more bearable..." He glanced around at the collection of books. "It's gonna take a while to get all my stuff to the guild though, and the Serpents will be tracking me the entire time."

"I'll get Tanaka and Kindaichi to help, they can also fend off any goons they send your way. Plus Kindaichi is the one who's in charge of acquiring horses for us, we've been meaning to buy another since our numbers grew last."

The scholar nodded, hurrying to start packing as Daichi sighed heavily. The guild leader was somewhat dreading explaining his reasoning to the others.

 

* * *

 

 

As predicted, telling the guild that Moniwa was joining them was an experience. Those who had heard what he had said were understandably alarmed that Daichi was inviting a traitor into their midst. Those who hadn't, were nonethewiser but still required some sort of explanation. Once they were all gathered in the tavern, Daichi told them how Moniwa had been targeted because of his dealings with the guild, that he was going back with them for his own safety as well as being closer on hand to help with any future problems.

"...so they followed us here and found out he was helping us, and now they want to kill him?" Yaku summarised, looking between the scholar and Daichi.

"Yes." The guild leader replied.

"...why are they even after us still? Like, big whoop we killed a few of their mercenaries as part of a job. They were collateral damage."

Suga raised an eyebrow, not wanting to voice his thoughts quite yet, Kuroo's gaze was firmly fixed on his tankard of ale in front of him. The rest of the group waited for Daichi's reply, to see how he would explain any of it.

"Well, we don't know." Daichi eventually said. "That's the next thing on our list to do."

Tanaka drained his tankard before decided to refocus the conversation. "So, what's the plan? Me and Kindaichi grab a horse and cart, then what?"

"You go to Moniwa's place and pack as much of his stuff onto the cart as possible. Kenma can help with the sorting out, you two just need to do the heavy lifting and keep watch for any Serpents."

Tanaka and Kindaichi exchanged a smile. "Sure, we can do that."

"Wait, does that mean the guild is splitting up for now?" Bokuto asked "Cause it'll take a solid day to pack everything up."

"Supplies are needed, I'm sure there is other business to attend to as well." Suga said, jumping in before Daichi could. "I think given how exhausted some of us still are, it would be better to travel as one unit. Especially if there are Serpent scouts in the town, I don't like the idea of any of us getting caught alone or unprepared."

"That settles that then." Kuroo sighed. "We stick together, no-one wanders the town alone or at night."

"Kuroo, we're _assassins_." Kunimi rolled his eyes. "I think we can survive against one or two wannabe hitmen."

"No." Kuroo bluntly replied. "Kunimi, please don't do anything reckless."

The other snorted. "Since when did you become so paranoid about our safety?"

"Since several of us nearly died a few nights ago."

A stony silence fell across the table. Akaashi shared a glance with Bokuto before a subtle nod was exchanged. Bokuto rose out of his seat and clapped Kuroo on the shoulder, "c'mon Tetsu, you can help me and Keiji feed the horses."

It was an obvious act to get Kuroo outside so they could talk, the rest of the guild weren't idiots. Kuroo didn't argue as he stood up and nodded, letting the two herd him outside. Once they were gone, Kiyoko leaned forward, resting her elbows on the notched wood of the table. She met Moniwa's gaze, the scholar had been somewhat dumbstruck by the fact she was in her human form and still _alive_.

"So, I hear you're the one who helped them reverse the curse." She smiled.

"I, well Kenma was the one...I just had all the texts and stuff." Moniwa replied, rubbing the back of his neck as he felt his cheeks redden.

"You don't give yourself enough credit." Nishinoya remarked. "You're the one who said it was a transmutation, not just a curse. You're also the one who said it would have to be a high powered mage - like an aura mage - and you're the one who told Kenma how to go about reversing it."

Kiyoko smiled. "Well in any case, thank-you for everything." She reached across the table and took his hands in hers. "I owe you, and the rest of the guild, my life."

The table was soon taken up by empty tankards and bowls alike, everyone having their fair share of drink and food as the evening drew on. It wasn't until last call was made that they realised Kuroo and company hadn't returned yet. It was also at that point that they realised they now had more people than beds by a long shot.

"Nine beds...fourteen people." Yaku hummed. "Well I guess there's gonna be some bed sharing going on."

"Shoyo can sleep with me." Kenma stated, Hinata nodding in agreement. "And Akaashi will probably share with Kuroo."

"I don't mind sleeping by the fire-pit." Tanaka shrugged. "Would prefer a bed though..."

Suga nodded. "Well even if Daichi and I share a bed, we're two beds short."

"I'll sleep on the floor too then." Nishinoya declared.

A hushed conversation seemed to have happened as Kindaichi stood up and attracted Suga's attention. "Uh, well Akira and I can share a bed if that helps..."

There was a small smile on Suga's face as he nodded. "Well that frees up one bed, I'd be inclined to say Noya should take it."

"Hey Yaku, wanna share a bed with Bokuto?" Daichi asked, knowing immediately what the answer would be.

"Fuck off." Yaku laughed. "I'd be squished immediately!"

Laughter broke out amongst the group, this was how the guild was supposed to be. Even after all the chaos they had been through, they were still able to sit and laugh in each other's presence. There was a slight pang of worry at the lack of Kuroo, Daichi would put money on the fact he was dealing with his past still, it was getting harder for him to justify not telling them all now. However, Daichi was determined to uphold the guild's ethos of not forcing anyone to reveal their past, he would simply have to wait it out and try to cover his best friend's ass for as long as possible.

 

* * *

 

 

They had ended up on one of the vacant jetties in the harbour. Bokuto had noted the large vessel with dark red sails and steered very clear of the busy dock-hands unloading expensive cargo. Kuroo hadn't said anything until the three of them sat on the edge of the jetty, watching the moonrise over a quiet bay. Akaashi did little to hide his concern, taking Kuroo's hand in his and squeezing tightly. It prompted the other to look at him but quickly glance out to sea as Bokuto hummed softly.

"So, what's eating at you Tetsu?" Bokuto asked eventually.

"I can't believe they're threatening people like Moniwa for helping us." Kuroo replied, voice lacking any energy. "This has just spiraled out of control."

"Well, he's safe now. He's got us." Bokuto smiled, trying to look on the bright side. Akaashi smiled slightly but could see Kuroo didn't buy it.

"But who else is gonna be targeted? Next they'll go after your pa, your family Bo. I can't...I can't have that."

Bokuto leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees before wrapping an arm around Kuroo's shoulders. "Tetsu, I know this is hard and you keep avoiding talking about it, but why are they out for your blood so bad? You know this is only going to keep mounting up until you explode or...someone ends up dead. And Keiji and I can only do so much for you without actually knowing what happened."

"Please, we don't want to force it out of you, I want you to tell us in your own time but we don't have a lot of it." Akaashi added quietly. "You know that whatever it is, it's not going to change how the guild thinks of you."

Kuroo shook his head. "I'm so ashamed of it. It was a stupid thing to do, you won't be able to see me in the same light."

"Just tell us." Bokuto urged. "We all carry baggage around bro, that's why this guild is so successful in a way; we're all outcasts and lone wolves. Alone we're vulnerable, isolated, at war with ourselves, but together we're better, stronger, we can shed the burdens we carry, we can depend on one another to survive. We're as good as family, we're a brotherhood...well, I'm not sure how Kiyoko will like that term but that's besides my point."

"We want to help you." Akaashi murmured, resting his head on Kuroo's shoulder. "Please, we won't tell the others. But I know this is haunting you. I've heard your memories, I've seen you toss and turn in your sleep, the way you keep talking about protecting everyone is making it clear that you feel the need to overcompensate for a past action..."

Water lapped at the wooden pillars of the jetty, the moon was shining brightly and casting a silvery glow onto the waves. It was quiet, the dock-hands not singing or talking loudly due to the late hour, the furled sails whipped in the breeze occasionally but barely made a sound otherwise.

Kuroo squeezed Akaashi's hand, feeling the silver ring bite into the palm of his hand. The ring his mother gave him. His dead mother. Dead because of him.

"Okay." He breathed. "I'll tell you both, but swear to me you won't tell the others, I-I can't, not yet."

"We swear." Bokuto replied immediately, hand coming down to rest on Kuroo's knee in reassurance. "Take as long as you need, we have all night."

Akaashi nodded, tilting his head up and pressing lips to Kuroo's cheek. "We're here for you."

The guild leader took a deep breath, letting out a heavy sigh and lifting his eyes to the night sky for a moment. "It all started when my parents first met..."

 

 

 


	29. Thunder

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Thunder

 

After last call was made, the guild retired to the shared room. Kuroo and company were still nowhere to be found, but Daichi wasn't too worried for now. It gave everyone else a chance to relax in the room for a while before sleep inevitably came to them. Hinata had bounced back considerably since the ritual, he was back to sitting by fire-pits and playing with the flames without a hint of exhaustion about him. Nishinoya occasionally joined in, his command of the fire element nearly non-existent so he stuck to letting sparks crackle between his fingertips instead. The others were all either relaxing in beds or quietly talking amongst themselves, Moniwa felt a little like an outsider as he sat by the fire and watched the mage's antics but was assured by Kiyoko's presence.

"So, this is what life on the road is like." He remarked quietly as Kiyoko leaned back on her hands and watched the way Hinata's fingers flexed with each flame shifting.

"In a way, yeah." Nishinoya replied with a smile. "These are fairly good digs for a traveler, most of the time when Ryuu and I have been on the road we've had to camp out in a forest or field."

"Or in a cave." Tanaka added from where he was sat by the window to the harbour. "Caves are always fun, you think you're safe from wolves but then- oh shit a giant rat has her nest further back in the cave."

A small laugh came from those listening in. Nishinoya shook his head slightly as Hinata parted the flames in front of them. "Hey, remember that this is meant to be keeping us _warm_ , don't start messing with it too much."

"Sorry!" Hinata immediately let the fire go back to popping and hissing to itself. He fiddled with his slightly singed fingers before meeting Moniwa's gaze. "Moniwa, you know a lot right?"

The scholar gave Hinata a slightly puzzled look. "Uh, well I know a lot of things but not everything..." He laughed nervously. "What's on your mind?"

Kiyoko excused herself to get some air before retiring for the night, her departure making Hinata pause for a moment to think his answer through. Nishinoya was on the verge of calling it a night too but was equally curious about Hinata's question.

"When we were turning Kiyoko back, I know Akaashi was reading her thoughts, but that's cause he's an empath mage."

"Yeah, he does have that gift. Particularly useful in this case I hear."

"Can empath mages make non-empaths see what they see?"

Moniwa paused for a few moments, he had never heard of an elemental mage receiving visions from an empath mage before. He studied the mage sat in front of him; he saw a young boy, still unsure of himself and the power he wields but curious all the same. Mages didn't have a 'look' like warriors did, anyone could be any type of mage. That was why some people feared them after all.

"I've never heard of such a thing, no." He replied eventually. "Why?"

"...uhm, well during the ritual I saw some weird things, but they weren't _real_ things." Hinata explained, bringing his hands up to warm them by the fire. "My vision whited out, but I was still conscious, I could feel flames leaving my hands but I was seeing something else."

Nishinoya shifted in his seat. "What did you see?" He asked, perking up from his near slumber.

The younger mage shuffled slightly, gaze flicking between the other two. "I saw a large dragon, but it looked like...like it should've been dead." His voice quiet as he was aware the others in the room were probably listening. "It was restless, like a cornered dog. Eyes hollow sockets, jaw unhinged, wings tattered...you get the idea. Out of nowhere a shadow figure ran at it and started _fighting_ it, I didn't recognise them but it was like--"

"Like Kiyoko was fighting the soul she was bound to." Moniwa cut in, immediately drawing links. "Just like how I would expect a reverse transmutation to occur."

"But Akaashi is the only one who can read minds, right?" Hinata asked, looking more to Nishinoya for confirmation. The other nodded slowly, Akaashi was indeed the only one they knew who could read minds.

"It's possible, given that you were directly connected to the circle, you saw whatever Akaashi saw." Moniwa murmured, rubbing his chin in thought.

"But then how come I didn't see it?" Nishinoya asked.

"...right. Uh, I guess this is going to take a bit more thought...have you spoken to Akaashi about it?" Moniwa sighed.

Hinata nodded. "He said it's odd that I can read 'something' but he also said Kenma can do similar things."

"Kenma isn't an elemental mage though." Nishinoya huffed as he stood up and stretched. "But oh well, another thing to add to our never-ending list of crap to figure out I guess."

He declared he was tired, flopping into the nearest bed and effectively ending the conversation. Hinata smiled and thanked Moniwa before finding the bed Kenma had already chosen, thankful for the warmth and familiarity that sleeping with the other offered.

Moniwa took a moment to appreciate how easily conversation seemed to come with most of the guild, he knew there were going to be questions from the likes of Suga about his dealings with the Serpents. The hunter showed no sign of caring that much as he easily fell asleep, even the slight worry over Kuroo _still_ not coming back wasn't enough to keep him awake. Yaku had been muttering a little to Daichi about it, stating how Kuroo's been 'at breaking point' for a while and this wasn't over yet. Moniwa got the idea he wasn't privy to those kinds of conversations yet. Kunimi and Kindaichi had been asleep for a while, the sentry had been a little fickle about _how_ they were going to sleep in the same bed for a while but eventually settled once Kindaichi put an arm around his chest and kept him from falling out of the bed. Tanaka was going to stoke the fire a bit before falling asleep, which also meant he was going to be awake until Kuroo and company got back and Kiyoko had gone out to get some air for a while - Moniwa didn't blame her, with the distinct lack of bathing that had taken place, the group stank to high heavens.

He remained by the fire a little longer, coming to terms that this group was now his adopted family. He had always wanted a few friends to be able to relax with, for more company than just clients, but he didn't exactly imagine getting threatened would lead to it. He was bummed out that he was being uprooted from his home so quickly, but he looked on the bright side; Daichi was a long-term friend and if the rest of the guild were accepting of the decision to let him stay, then he had no reason to fear. After all, change can be scary, but in the end it's almost always good.

 

* * *

 

 

Bokuto let out a heavy sigh as Kuroo held his head in his hands. The ragged breathing from the other was hiding the tears streaming down his cheeks. Akaashi's gaze remained on the water beneath their feet, hand resting on Kuroo's thigh, thumb rubbing gentle circles against the leather pants.

"...well that, that puts some things in a new light." Bokuto uttered, processing all that he had heard. He was still trying to wrap his head around some of the details. "And that's why they're after you?"

"Mhm." Kuroo choked out, trying to keep himself together to answer any questions.

"You never told me your mom had died."

"Well you'd have probably asked how." Kuroo shrugged. "And I wanted to forget about it all."

Silence fell between them, Akaashi wasn't sure how to react to the news. He wasn't mad at what Kuroo had done, he wasn't upset that the other hadn't told him. Given the circumstances, he wasn't surprised. He just didn't know how to fix it either.

"Well, you just gave me even more reasons to kick their sorry slithery serpent asses." Bokuto declared, sitting up straight and slapping Kuroo's shoulder. "I got your back bro."

Kuroo let out a sob, shaking his head. "No, no Bo I don't--"

"Don't give me that 'I don't deserve you' crap." Bokuto snapped, tone softening as he continued. "Listen, you were a kid still when all this shit was happening, you just wanted to keep your mom safe, you just wanted to live yourself. Don't apologise for trying to do the right thing, don't you _dare_ apologise for any of this."

Another sob left Kuroo, rubbing one hand over his tear-stained face before covering his mouth. Akaashi took the opportunity to seize his other hand, linking their fingers together and squeezing tightly. The simple action coupled with Bokuto's arm wrapping around his shoulders, made Kuroo pause slightly.

"Hey," Akaashi breathed, pressing his forehead to Kuroo's temple. "this doesn't change how we look at you. This doesn't change how much I care for you."

"But I--"

Akaashi brought his hand closer to Kuroo's face, the silver band catching the moonlight. "I'm still wearing this." He stated. "And nothing you just told us is changing that."

After a slight pause, Kuroo nodded, taking Akaashi's hand and bringing it to his lips. "Okay."

They remained on the jetty, the weight of the conversation on their shoulders, but at the same time a sense of release washed over Kuroo. He had finally shed his burden slightly, he had shed his burden to two of his closest friends and they hadn't left him. They had stayed by his side and vowed to remain there, regardless of what he had done.

"We should get back." Akaashi spoke, breaking the silence. "Daichi will be worried."

"Mhm." Bokuto replied. "I'll go ahead of you, maybe check everyone else is asleep first."

Kuroo nodded, his tears had dried but his chest still felt tight, ragged breaths still came out as if he was in danger of sobbing all over again. With a reassuring pat on the back, Bokuto quietly left them. Kuroo immediately folded into Akaashi's embrace, burying his face in the crook of his neck, clinging to his shoulder as he breathed heavily. Akaashi hummed softly, running fingers through Kuroo's hair as he let the other work through his emotions.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." He breathed.

"Don't worry, I understand." Akaashi replied, it was the third time Kuroo had apologised for keeping it from them.

"But it's not right, to lie to you."

"You weren't, you were protecting me." Akaashi gently cupped his face and made Kuroo meet his gaze. "You were protecting all of us. And now it's time for us to protect you."

He didn't give Kuroo a chance to object, leaning forward and kissing the other until he broke away to nuzzle Kuroo's neck. They remained on the jetty for a while, both giving Bokuto a chance to get to the tavern way before them and letting Kuroo's breathing normalise enough to avoid more suspicion. The walk back to the tavern was quiet and without incident. The fire inside the room was freshly stoked and the only ones up were Tanaka and Kiyoko.

The sellsword was half asleep as the warmth washed over him, but Kiyoko was wide awake on her chosen bed near the window. She met Akaashi's gaze with a smile as Kuroo wasted no time in stripping his shirt off to sleep. She turned her attention back to the window, the moon high in the sky and not a cloud in sight. The sound of sleeping males joined the fire popping and crackling, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

She had spent many nights alone wondering about her life, how it would've panned out differently had she not taken up the sword. Her katana lay across her lap, no longer dented or dull but sharp and polished, complete with a new scabbard to match the handle. She clutched it tightly, thinking about how many duels she had fought before that night, the guardsmen she had proved herself worthy by fighting. There was always the unanswered question of what her life would've been like if she had actually ended up as the Prince's royal guard.

With a sigh, she glanced down and withdrew the blade from its scabbard. Silver steel glinted in the moonlight, though it felt like an eternity since she last felt like a true warrior, having her blade back to how it was before that night made everything feel a little more right in the world.

 

* * *

 

 

The market was always bustling, the traders of the town didn't like to barter much, preferring to exchange gold and silver as quickly as possible. It presented Kindaichi with a slight issue when Daichi told him to buy another horse for the guild. Buying horses took a lot of patience, a clear vision of what they wanted out of it, and most importantly; the coin to spend. Moniwa insisted on coming with him, in turn guaranteeing that Tanaka would follow. Kindaichi accepted the bag of coin from Suga, the last of their trip funds, to somehow get both a horse and a cart. He didn't like their odds as he felt how light the bag was.

"So what else is there to buying a horse?" Moniwa asked as they walked towards the town wall, there were muddy fields between the cluster of buildings and the town limits, perfect for grazing livestock and showing off mounts for sale.

"You gotta think about what you'll be doing with it." Kindaichi replied. "Amaya and Yuki are primarily what we refer to as 'sprinters', they're fast, agile and don't tend to spook easily. Yaku and Kuroo like their sort because they make travelling great distances less of an ordeal."

"So what's Hotaru?"

"She's more of a pack horse, built a little bigger and isn't as fast. That's not to say she can't evenly match the others on speed, but it's the endurance that'll make her fall short." Kindaichi shrugged. They were coming up on one of the main stud farms - traders who specialise in the breeding and selling of horses - and he was still mulling over what to ask for.

Tanaka didn't pretend to know anything about horses, he was used to walking everywhere on his own feet and only dealing with the horses at the guild. He kept his attention on every passing person, on guard for any surprise attacks from the Serpents.

"I'm thinking we get another pack horse." Kindaichi continued his train of thought. "But one that doesn't spook easily."

"Another mare?" Moniwa asked.

"See, if we get a stallion then we could start breeding them ourselves," Kindaichi hadn't approached the guild leaders with his idea, but it would save them a lot of coin in the future if they started foaling their own mounts. "I used to work in the palace stables, I saw my fair share of newborns, but I'd be hesitant to be the only one responsible."

Tanaka had been paying attention long enough to wade in. "The way I see it, if the best choice on offer is a stallion, then get the stallion and handle the rest later." He nodded towards the field they were walking beside. "We have a lot of choice by the look of things but we haven't got all the time in the world. Daichi and Suga want us out of this town by sundown, so take whatever is best and whatever we can afford."

Kindaichi nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

A collection of buildings stood on the side of the road out of town, each of the built out of grey stone and dark timber. A large stable was visible from the road, boasting several horses in stalls of different sizes and colours. Before they got too far into the yard, a woman approached them, hair swept up and fixed in place with a ribbon. She greeted them with a smile, wiping her hands on muddy pants before shaking Kindaichi's hand.

"So, I guess you're looking for a horse, hm?" She remarked, folding arms across her chest.

"Yeah," Kindaichi replied evenly, it had been a while since they bought a horse but it was from the same farm. "we actually got our last mare from here."

"Oh? You probably dealt with my brother then, I only just took over." She smiled. "What was the mare like?"

"Uh, sprinter in nature, off-brown in colour, pretty sure we didn't change her name."

"Amaya?"

"Yeah."

The woman chuckled. "Named after the rain, born at night during the rainy season."

Moniwa and Tanaka exchanged a glance, not knowing what to do as Kindaichi continued explaining what kind of work Amaya had been doing. Eventually the other got around to asking about a new horse, to which the trader beckoned them over to one of the paddocks. Several horses were grazing, each looking like they could easily pull a cart to the guild and back again.

"You're looking for a pack horse then," The trader swung her legs over the fence with ease and started pointing out ideal mounts for them. Kindaichi nodded as she spoke, taking in the information and making his own decision. "I personally think, you might be better off with a male, not necessarily a stallion as that might prove problematic with your mares."

Tanaka huffed, starting to get bored of this. Moniwa's attention had fixated on one of the larger horses as it meandered over to them to see if they had food.

"Which do you think would be best for a long-haul trip at a brisk pace? Time isn't a luxury we have in our line of work." Kindaichi asked.

The trader sighed, beckoning over the horse that had approached them. "This is one of our stallions, he's very inquisitive." She explained. "Can pull a lot of weight too and doesn't like to hang around much. Packs a lot of power in his legs so he can be quite fast if unhindered."

"I sense a but." Moniwa sighed.

"He needs a firm hand, think of him like a giant puppy. If he's not kept occupied then he can be a bit...rowdy."

"Sounds like half the guild." Tanaka uttered, making Kindaichi laugh.

A bit more back and forth happened between Kindaichi and the trader, Tanaka tuned most of it out as the horse in front of him took an interest in Moniwa. He also missed Kindaichi confirming that they'd take the stallion, if it hadn't been for the price tag that is.

"Five hundred gold?" Kindaichi repeated.

"Well yeah, he's a stallion. He could foal several young ones." The trader shrugged. "He's in his prime too."

Tanaka knew for a fact Suga hadn't given Kindaichi more than three hundred gold pieces. Whilst the horse was pretty much everything they needed in a mount, if they couldn't afford him, they couldn't afford him. That was when Moniwa spoke up;

"I mean, I have about that much back at my place. It's not going to get used once I leave...and this could be my contribution to the guild."

Kindaichi was torn between accepting it immediately and telling Moniwa he didn't have to do that. However, if the coin wasn't going to be used anyway, who were they to tell him how he should spend it? Tanaka volunteered to escort Moniwa back to his home to collect the coin, leaving Kindaichi with the horse.

"So, has he got a name?" He asked the trader.

"Eh, not really. We've had a few different names for him but nothing concrete." She replied, collecting some pieces of rope to start leading the stallion towards the stables. "You got any ideas?"

"I have one, dunno if my brothers will appreciate it but oh well." Kindaichi smiled, patting the horse’s neck. "We kind of have a running theme with the names anyway."

 

* * *

 

 

Hinata's eyes widened as he gazed up at the horse Kindaichi bought back to the tavern. Daichi raised an eyebrow as the sentry explained that Moniwa had paid for it and Tanaka was just acquiring a cart with the remaining funds. The stallion picked at the straw offered to it by Nishinoya, his long black mane acting like a curtain hiding his white face as he took an interest in the muddy ground.

"So, it's a cart horse that can also gallop?" Bokuto clarified, walking over and patting the grey and white speckled coat. "Unusual markings though."

"He's unique." Nishinoya remarked, petting the nose. "He got a name?"

Kindaichi laughed nervously. "Uh, well no, but I had some thoughts on that."

"Oh this should be good." Kunimi smirked.

"Well, Amaya means 'night rain', Yuki is 'snow'. Hotaru is the exception being called 'Firefly'."

"That's cause she was Suga's family horse, he didn't name her." Daichi pointed out.

"Yeah, well I'm saying our horses have a theme of being named after weather." Kindaichi handed the rope to Bokuto so he could take the horse to water. "So I was thinking, given what we just went through, calling him Raimei."

"Thunder." Nishinoya coyly smiled. "I like it."

"Of course you would." Daichi laughed. "But fine, sure call him that."

Hinata had tuned most of the conversation out, following Bokuto as the large horse was allowed to drink from a trough. He was used to horses now after their long trips with the mares, but he couldn't get over how big Raimei was. Bokuto chuckled when he saw how fascinated Hinata seemed to be, ruffling the mage's hair as he passed by to collect a spare set of reins from one of the saddlebags.

"He's big isn't he?" Bokuto asked.

"Yeah, who's going to be in charge of him?"

"Eh, probably Kindaichi for the time being, begin the stable-boy and all that. After that...possibly me, maybe Kiyoko. He's going to be pulling a cart for now, can't see him really being a sprinter like Yuki."

Hinata nodded, running fingers along the horse's back. "Do we even have room for him at the guild?"

Bokuto shook his head. "Not really, but we'll manage. When Kuroo bought Yuki back for the first time, she had to share a stable with Hotaru for ages. I expect I'll have to build a whole new building for this fella." He patted Raimei's neck. "But that's a problem for when we get home, first things first; we get Moniwa to the guild without having to kill anyone."

 


	30. Returning Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~This is technically the last chapter, however there is an epilogue to be added this weekend~
> 
> Also I've finally compiled all the music I used to inspire this story into a [Spotify playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/stardustz6/playlist/7kfo2OqFg2EDeyrOAGnWR2) for anyone who's curious about that kind of thing!

Chapter Thirty

Returning Home

 

It was sundown when they left Kōshi. Moniwa had loaded as much of his belongings into the cart and they left immediately. Daichi had declared that they would travel as far as possible, into the night if they had to, to put a sizeable distance between them and any Blue Serpent agents that were following Moniwa. Raimei showed no reluctance to haul the heavy cart laden with books, texts, chests and crates, and with Bokuto tasked to keep hold of his reins, the party headed northwards into the dusk.

Kiyoko kept to herself at first, enjoying the feeling of walking on solid ground and being in the simple company of others who weren't trying to kill her. She walked beside Suga, watching as Nishinoya and Hinata bounded ahead, the fading daylight not seeming to dampen their excitement about being on the road.

"When we get back to the guild, Bokuto can fit you out with some armour." Suga told her, they had spared some coin to purchase some better fitting clothes for her but Bokuto maintained that a warrior of Kiyoko's class needed 'proper armour'. "I imagine you want to pick up your duelling."

Kiyoko smiled, nodding slightly. "Yeah, it'll help me feel more...human again."

"Anything we can help you with, just say so." Suga assured her, getting distracted by Hinata tripping over his own feet in the brambles beside the trail. "We may not look it, but we're usually quite organised."

"I don't doubt it, though I do have one question." Kiyoko's hand closed around the hilt of her blade, fingers drumming against the wrapped cloth.

"Go for it."

"You're a guild of...assassins, how does one pay their stay here?"

Suga laughed, rubbing the back of his head as he sighed. "Good question. Uh, well Akaashi receives contracts from clients via crow, sometimes Kuroo gets word from...his old contacts..." He trailed off, getting lost in his thoughts about who those contacts _really_ are. "but most of the time doing day-to-day tasks like hunting, gathering, smithing, looking after the horses will satisfy Daichi enough."

"What about those big jobs? I know you had just completed one when I arrived."

"Yeah...hah, those are a nightmare to plan." Suga shrugged. "Given your circumstances I don't imagine there'll be many in hurry to question you staying." He smiled. "Don't worry too much about it Kiyoko."

By the time they stopped to set up camp, Kenma was fast asleep on Yuki's back. The moon was high in the night sky, faint wisps of cloud drifted across it from time to time. Tanaka lazily threw together a small fire for everyone to sit around, there was the small issue that they didn't have enough bedrolls but Moniwa had packed several bundles of blankets from his home meaning no-one was going to freeze that night. It did still mean some had to double up to make use of them, not that was ever an issue.

There had been somewhat of an unspoken tension surrounding Kuroo since the previous night. It wasn't obvious enough for anyone to act on it, however it had been noted by most of the guild-brothers that he had been quieter than usual. Akaashi and Bokuto hadn't breathed a word of what had been discussed in the harbour, neither of them wanted to further unsettle Kuroo. That being said, once most of the party had settled down to sleep for the precious few hours of night they had left, Akaashi nodded for Daichi to accompany him over to where the four horses were grazing.

"Something wrong?" The guild leader asked, bracing himself for whatever bad news Akaashi was going to lay on him.

"No, but I think you need to be aware that Kuroo is carrying a lot of...emotional baggage." Akaashi chose his words carefully, not wanting to outright tell Daichi what Kuroo had been through. "If they're so set on coming after him, they're going to try and prey on that."

"Tell me something I don't know." Daichi remarked quietly, patting Hotaru's nose as she gently head-butted him in search of food.

"His mother is dead." Akaashi stated, watching Daichi's eyes widen a little in the faint moonlight. "I...I can't tell you specifics, it wouldn't be right of me to. However, knowing that he's got no family to speak of, the guild has become a prime target. We're all he has left."

"Oh, right. He hadn't told me that..."

Akaashi shrugged. "He's not told you a lot of things." He fiddled with the ring on his finger, Daichi's gaze going to it and smiling slightly. "We got it all out of him last night, but it's a lot to swallow. He's been to hell and back, lost everything he knew. I can't say I blame him for keeping it to himself."

Daichi sighed heavily. "Well, sooner or later I hope he'll tell me. But if the guild's safety comes into question, I'm gonna have to get him to open up."

"I know." Akaashi let his eyes slip shut for a moment. "He knows too. I just thought I'd let you know that it's not a happy story in the slightest."

For a moment they simply stood in the company of the horses, neither saying anything more on the matter. There was the ever-present question of what the guild was actually going to do about the Blue Serpents hanging in the air. Akaashi didn't need to ask it, he knew it was all Daichi was thinking about these past few days. Once they got Moniwa and Kiyoko settled into the guild, there would be questions, meetings, researching, messages being sent out to every trustworthy contact possible. It was only just the beginning of their next adventure.

 

* * *

 

 

Bokuto was right when he said there wasn't enough space for all four horses, it was a struggle to get Raimei through the opening in the rock face, let alone into one of the stalls of the stable. Most of the brothers immediately moved to start unloading both the cart and all the remaining supplies as Kenma got rid of the barrier he had placed in front of the door many days previously.

"First things first," Daichi stated as he unlocked the door in the more traditional manner "get the fire going in the main chamber. Then Kenma needs to supervise the moving of Moniwa's stuff into his room."

"I'll make a start on this stall for Raimei," Bokuto declared from the cart "so the armoury will be vacant for shit to be put in there."

Hinata stayed out of the way largely as brothers filtered in and out of the narrow doorway. He sought refuge with Kiyoko and Kunimi who were settling the other horses back into their stalls after the long journey. The hours passed quickly as the three of them thoroughly groomed each mare and making sure they were well fed, Kindaichi took sole charge of Raimei and enlisted Kunimi's help in taking the stallion for a walk to the lake and back in hopes of keeping him out of Bokuto's way as the blacksmith put together a simple yet sturdy home for their newest addition.

Kenma was just slotting the last of Moniwa's books onto the bookshelf when the door to his library shut. He glanced over his shoulder to find Kuroo there, he raised an eyebrow at the other's uncharacteristic avoidance of his gaze. Kuroo shuffled his feet slightly before finally meeting Kenma's eyes, he bit on his lip slightly before letting out a sigh.

"So, I uh, I owe you an apology." Kuroo stated, watching as Kenma turned around and gave him a puzzled look.

"You do?" Kenma had a vague idea what Kuroo was referring to.

"Yeah, about...what I said after the ritual, about how you sent Keiji in there without knowing what would happen." Kuroo paced the room slightly, running his hand through his hair and sighing again. "I was out of line, I shouldn't have--"

"You care for him, a lot, I understand." Kenma smiled. "We were all scared at the time."

"But that doesn't excuse me yelling at you, no-one else did."

Kenma shrugged. "It was a stressful situation, I don't consider it to have marred our friendship." He turned back to the stocked shelves. "If you really insist however, then I forgive you."

Kuroo let out a small breathless chuckle, the simple phrase did lift some of the weight from his shoulders. "Thanks Kenma."

The alchemist nodded, already deciding to reorganise the shelf after only just stocking it. Kuroo excused himself to continue helping the rest of the guild resettle.  It was growing dark when Akaashi started calling to bring everyone together for some much needed food. Suga and Yaku had been hard at work putting the last of the food stores to use in a stew. With fourteen members, the main room was starting to feel a little cosy, but in a way none of them minded. There were no arguments, debates, bickering or muttered insults to speak of as they ate together. A few tongue-in-cheek remarks were thrown back and forth though, laughter breaking out at over-the-top reactions and the inevitable sigh and eye roll from Suga over something Tanaka said.

This was what the guild was supposed to be like; a group of misfits and outcasts banding together not just to survive, but to thrive together as people.

Exhaustion was seeping into each of them as Yaku jokingly asked Akaashi if there were any outstanding jobs needing doing. Akaashi scoffed as those still awake laughed at the assassin's eagerness to get back to work but he rose to his feet all the same. Padding along the narrow hallways towards the hatch he released the crows from, he heard a distinctive scratching and flapping of wings. There was definitely one crow there waiting. Tugging the hatch open, the bird patiently waited for him to ascend the ladder before hopping on his arm.

Examining the note attached to its leg, he paused. The yellow wax seal with a wolf's head was enough to know it was Misaki's pirate guild contacting them, that in itself wasn't worrying, what _was_ worrisome were the words 'bounty' and 'Kunimi' in the same sentence. Rather than spark a wave of panic over not just the sentry, but the entire guild, Akaashi pocketed the note and took the bird back to one of the cages in Kenma's room. He sighed heavily as he bore the new burden of having to deliver this news to Daichi, not quite noticing when someone else joined him in the room.

"So did the crow have anything?" Yaku's voice startled Akaashi, making him crumple the note in his pocket as his hand dove to make sure it was hidden. The assassin gave him a puzzled expression, noting the jumpiness of the one who was usually so composed. "...it had _something_ didn't it?"

Akaashi considered his options; tell Yaku and potentially gain some context for why the hell someone put a bounty on Kunimi, or lie. Given that the assassin would almost certainly know he was lying, and he was the only one other than Kindaichi who knew why Kunimi was on the run in the first place, it seemed a pretty straightforward choice.

"Uh, yeah. From Misaki." Akaashi replied quietly. "I think you should read it for yourself." He gave Yaku the crumpled parchment, watching as the older male read it with an air of doubt. Doubt gave way to confusion, then acceptance.

"Oh boy." Yaku sighed, handing the note back to Akaashi. "If Akira finds out about this, he's going to..." He shook his head. "No. He can't know."

"Why?"

"He's already spoken about going back to 'face judgement' for what he did." Yaku's voice dropped to a low murmur. "Kindaichi talked him out of it, but if he finds out that they're still after him, he's liable to march back there and hand himself in 'for the sake of the guild'. And I think both you and I agree we have enough issues with the Serpents still hunting Kuroo, we don't need another one of our own to go down that path."

Akaashi studied Yaku's expression, the no-nonsense assassin looked troubled as he rubbed his chin. "If that's what you think is best." He murmured. "But I should tell Daichi--"

"No." Yaku cut him off. "Please, just leave it with me. Akira can't know he's being hunted still, he's only just started to open up. He's only just beginning to truly live."

A moment of silence passed. Akaashi studied the inked words again and nodded. "Okay. But if anything happens, I will have to tell Daichi. You better hope Kunimi knows how to avoid getting caught."

Yaku nodded in return. "Yeah, yeah thanks Akaashi."

Once Akaashi was left alone again, he let out a heavy sigh. He was starting to feel the weight of all these secrets on his shoulders. Upon re-entering the main room, he found half of the brothers had already retired to bed; Kuroo was still sat by the fire, watching the flames dance whilst Kenma let a sleepy Hinata rest his head in his lap, Kiyoko was listening to Bokuto telling her about the armour he had in mind to make her, but the rest of the brothers were long gone, with Suga just disappearing into Daichi's room when Akaashi closed the door softly behind him.

Kuroo accepted him into his embrace, hugging Akaashi tightly and pressing a kiss to the top of his head. There was no sense in trying to discuss anything vastly important as he lay there, head resting against Kuroo's shoulder and feeling the warmth of the fire on his skin. Hinata was murmuring something to Kenma, the alchemist smiling slightly and nodding at intervals, watching the mage examine the runestone he adored with tired eyes. Akaashi couldn't help but smile at the scene. A laugh from Bokuto kept him from falling asleep, the blacksmith was tired but he was so invested in describing Kiyoko's armour to her that he would sacrifice sleep for now.

Kenma yawned, the fire was dying out slowly and the room would cool quickly once it did. He gently coaxed Hinata to stand up, his mind set on returning to the familiar darkness of his library. Taking Hinata's hand in his, they bid goodnight to those still awake before he led the other to the pile of blankets they were accustomed to. Hinata put up no resistance to being gently manhandled into the cocoon of soft furs and linens, letting out a soft sigh as they settled within one another’s embrace.

"Hey Kenma," Hinata breathed after a few moments, Kenma grunted sleepily at first before formulating an actual response.

"Yeah Shoyo?"

"I'm glad I was told to find you guys..." Hinata mumbled, burying his face in the crook of Kenma's neck. "...and I'm glad you let me stay."

Kenma hummed in response. "I'm glad you stayed Shoyo."

There was a brief pause, both of them on the cusp of falling asleep when Hinata spoke again. "It feels like home to me."

Kenma smiled slightly, opting not to reply with words, simply wrapping his arm around the mage a little tighter and letting sleep claim him. A peaceful night's sleep would do them all a world of good, for they never knew when a new storm would blow into their lives.

 

 


	31. Epilogue

Epilogue

 

Heat hung in the air as he carefully made his way across the roof. The pale orange streaks in the sky would be swallowed up by the darkness soon, he didn't have long to get into position. He dropped down onto a balcony, the noble's house was a prime target for looting but that wasn't the kind of business he was conducting. He remembered Yaku's teachings on the matter of picking locks, Kunimi was always going to be better than him in regards to speed, but he could do it with just as much accuracy.

The door swung open without a sound, he padded across the bedchamber, making sure not to knock over anything like his last job. Slowly, he opened another door, a hallway greeted him lined with paintings and hunting trophies. If the intel about the layout was correct, there would be an open-plan stairwell that he'd have to navigate to get to his destination. He crouched down, peeking over the marble banister to check the coast was clear before quickly scurrying down the stairs and into an alcove.

He waited. No sound of servants or guards. He pressed on, sneaking through rooms and hallways until he found the main study. He only had a few moments to find a hiding place. He chose the large armoire to the side of the writing desk. Opening the large wooden door, he squeezed between the sword racks and closed the door again. He let out a sigh, hand slipping into the pocket of his jacket and picking out a pale stone with a rune engraved. Rubbing his thumb over it, it shone a light red, he dared to speak to it.

"Kenma, you hear me?" He whispered.

"Yes, I hear you Shoyo." A small whisper replied.

"I'm in the weapons closet in her study, she should be here soon. Make sure you have some parchment ready."

He lowered his arm, keeping the runestone pointed towards the door as he focused more on regulating his breathing. If he was found, he'd either have to kill to get out of there, or be killed himself. When he first accepted the job, Suga tried to talk him out of it, it wasn't a job any of the brothers liked doing but they needed information one way or another. They could only interrogate the couriers so many times.

A door slamming caused him to steel his breathing. His heart was hammering in his chest as footsteps approached the desk. The creaking of wood as a chair was sat on sounded too loud in his mind. Another set of footsteps soon approached, the door opened and they continued inside. He swallowed.

"Milady." A gruff voice greeted, Hinata imagined that it was her head guard. "We may have something worth noting."

"Hm? Go on, I'm listening." The light airy voice would've thrown him off guard if he didn't know who they were tracking.

"The King is dead." The man replied, a certain trace of glee in his voice, he was smiling as he spoke. "The Prince will be crowned in the coming days."

"Huh. The brat is gonna be king, should've known the mother would step aside for him."

"King Tooru, I assume we'll be pledging our allegiance? He'll be able to grant us protection."

A fist slammed on the desk, the chair dragging against the flagstone floor made Hinata freeze. He couldn't be found. He couldn't be heard. "Pledge our allegiance to that sorry excuse for an heir? No. We kill him instead. He has no heir so the kingdom falls to her rightful owner. They'll grant us protection."

There was a pause. Hinata had no idea what they were talking about, he was just told to eavesdrop on the woman. Akaashi's source told them that she knew about the Blue Serpents, but this was something else entirely.

"You don't mean...but that house died out when the eruption happened." The man replied, confusion in his voice.

A small laugh broke the silence. "Everyone _thinks_ that house died out." She remarked. "My dear, do you really think they willingly let their heir perish?"

"N-No--"

"Exactly. He's alive. You know how I know that?"

The sound of a sword being drawn made the question hang in the air for a few moments.

"Uh, no milady."

There was an amused hum. "They never found the crown jewels. The heir has reclaimed his throne, he wants his kingdom back. You just gave us the opportunity to do so."

"Wait, you're working with--"

The male was cut off abruptly, a drawn-out breath filled the silence before a thud of knees hitting the floor was heard. The male voice was laboured, he was wounded to some degree but Hinata couldn't pinpoint how badly.

"House Oikawa...above all they'll stand." He let out through ragged breaths. "The king may be dead, but the prince will rise to any challenge."

"Oh I knew you were a royal lapdog." The woman remarked. "But House Oikawa forgot one thing;" a pained noise left the other person, steel clattering on the floor signaled an end to the brutality. "House Kageyama was never conquered but is always feared."

Brisk footsteps away followed by silence made Hinata relax. He poked his head out of the armoire and saw the body of the male he had heard, there were several stab wounds to his chest, blood pooling on the stone floor next to the sharp blade. He bought the runestone up to his face.

"Did you hear all that?"

"Yes." Kenma replied, he sounded troubled. "Get back quickly."

Hinata deactivated the stone and made for the window, opening it with ease and dropping into the bushes. It didn't take long to find Yuki in the forest, still tied to the tree he left her at. With little reason to dally, he urged her at a full gallop once on the road westwards.

 

* * *

 

 

Kunimi frowned as Hinata finished explaining what he had heard on his job. The guild leaders looked to him for some kind of confirmation that the woman was speaking the truth, that a rival royal house could still be alive and fighting for their kingdom. Kunimi had always maintained he was just a servant boy, he wasn't allowed into the royal court during debates about troop movements. However, he did recall some so-say vital information.

"Prince Tooru knew of the Kageyama heir?" Moniwa asked, Kunimi nodded. "I mean, it's not impossible...but the two houses hated each other at this time."

Kiyoko paced the room, chainmail rattling slightly. "Regardless of this rival house existing or not, it's clear someone wants to assassinate the Prince. We can't allow that."

Kuroo pinched the bridge of his nose. "We have bigger problems."

"This woman is supposedly in with the Serpents," Suga chimed in. "if she's also working for this heir, then it's still in our best interest to interfere."

"Uhm, who are House Kageyama?" Hinata asked, a little confused by all this talk of another royal house. Moniwa smiled slightly, nodding as he found a book out of hundreds in his and Kenma's extensive collection and began reading aloud.

"House Kageyama, a ruling house for several generations until a sickness struck down the King, his heir and his brother. The Queen was deemed too grief-stricken to rule so House Oikawa offered assistance in ruling the kingdom. The effect of this meant that House Oikawa's next heir felt he should rightly own and rule the kingdom under his family's name, and that House Kageyama's bloodline was done for anyway."

"But it wasn't." Kenma remarked. "The Queen had been with child when the sickness struck but by the time she bore the child, the kingdom had fallen into chaos, invading forces from the east threatened both kingdoms so House Oikawa acted swiftly to guarantee safety."

Moniwa nodded, continuing. "When the last heir came of age, he requested his kingdom back. House Oikawa said no. A war happened which ended in the entire realm from Tanishiti eastwards being handed over to House Kageyama. Things were fine for a while, both kingdoms lived side-by-side without more than a few scuffles between them."

"Then what happened? They mentioned an eruption?" Hinata asked.

Moniwa nodded again, flicking through some pages. "The kingdom of House Kageyama housed several volcanoes, they provided fertile ground and ideal mining spots. Most documents detail of a freak eruption claiming the lives of the entire royal house and much of the capital city."

"But rumours were always afoot of foul play." Kenma added. "Survivors of the eruption claim House Oikawa's troops rode in and slaughtered the family, an attempt to reclaim the kingdom for themselves. The eruption was either an accident or brought about by magic, it did not destroy the city outright, the palace remains coated in ash and would've suffocated everyone inside."

A moment of silence fell. "But she said the heir is alive?"

Moniwa closed the book. "House Kageyama did have a Prince, yes. And it was documented that both the Prince's parents - Crown Prince and Princess - and his grandfather, the ruling King of the kingdom, were all dead. But no-one has ever been able to find the heir's body or the crown jewels."

Hinata worried his lip between his teeth. No-one said anything as the information hung in the air.

"Well, heir or not. Someone is trying to kill the Prince and it ain't us." Kuroo sighed. "And if it _is_ the Serpents, I sure as hell ain't letting them fuck up our realm. I may not like the royals a whole lot, but I’d rather have them in charge than some supposed heir who may or may not even exist."

No-one argued with Kuroo, the determination in his eyes was enough to convince the rest of those present that they couldn't be idle with this information.

"So, what's our first move?" Suga asked, turning expectantly to the guild leaders.

Daichi and Kuroo exchanged a glance, Kuroo stepping back and letting Daichi take the lead. "Well, for a start, we send someone to Tanishiti."

 

 

_To be continued_

_April 30th 2018_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, thank-you to everyone who's read and left kudos/kind comments! Your support has meant so much to me throughout all of this and I seriously can't thank you enough! :3
> 
> Secondly, this is part one of (at least) three stories so there will be a sequel. I'm hoping to write the majority of it in November during Nanowrimo and be uploading it around the new year - maybe a little beforehand if I'm VERY productive!
> 
> And finally, if any of you want to hmu with thoughts or questions about the series - though I won't be handing out spoilers ;) - then feel free to drop me an ask/message on [tumblr ](https://the-tiny-tsundere.tumblr.com/) (though please let me know you're coming from Ao3 or 'Brotherhood' otherwise I may think you're a spam bot).
> 
> Again, thank-you so much for reading and I hope you all enjoyed it!
> 
> \- Bryn


End file.
